Close-Up: Connor MacGillivray

Many of them were orphans. Others were taken from their homes because their parents couldn’t care for them. Either way, the boys at the Pacific Lodge Boys’ Home were in need of some happiness. And that’s where Connor comes in.
Connor MacGillivray, a graduating senior at Palisades Charter High School, had already spent hours volunteering at the Boys’ Home. So when it came time to complete his Eagle Scout Project, Connor knew exactly what he had to do. The boys, as part of a rewards program, are given the opportunity to go on a mountain-biking trip. But they had nowhere to store, clean, or repair their loaned bikes.
“They were keeping them in an old bathroom,†Connor informed me.
So Connor—who will study architecture at Parsons, an NYC design school, and whose father and grandfather were architects before him—designed, funded, and constructed a full-scale bike shop for the boys. And to his surprise, everyone turned out to help.
“Classmates whom I didn’t even know came to help with the construction,†says Connor.
On May 28, after $15,000 worth of donated materials, over 1000 accumulated hours, and plenty of blood, sweat, and tears, a bike shop stood where there had been nothing before. It is fully equipped with hooks, racks, and tools donated by Park Tool; furthermore, the entire building has been wired for electricity (which will be installed in the fall).
In the end, Connor got his Eagle Scout medal, and the Pacific Lodge boys got their bike shop. It was a rewarding project for all.