Polson student spreads awareness with help from monster

The Flathead Lake monster made another appearance last week in Polson. As it turns out, there is more than one monster, and now they are painted near every drain in Polson that goes in to the monster’s home.

Polson senior Kenneth Maughan got started in the scout program six years ago. Since that time he’s been working hard. Twenty-one merit badges later, Maughan was ready to go for the highest honor – Eagle Scout. “Getting your Eagle Scout is an important thing. It helps you get jobs and scholarships,” he said last week while painting a logo near a drain in Polson.

To do that, he had to come up with a project that he was in charge of. Maughan decided a few weeks ago that the project should be based on something he cared about – Flathead Lake. “We spend a lot of time on the lake in the summer,” his mother, Tina, said. Maughan wanted to help keep the lake clean, so he looked into painting a logo near all of the drains that go into the lake.

The first thing he had to do was talk to the city. After they approved the project, Maughan decided to design a logo for the drains. Many cities paint fish near their drains, but he wanted something more. “I wanted it to be something unique to Polson,” he said. He then approached businesses to see if they would be willing to donate supplies for the project. “There has been a ton of community support,” his mom said.

Last week, Maughan and a few other scouts traveled the town, looking for the right drains. Between two drains, he explained the process of getting his Eagle Scout. “After I’m done, I have to take the project in front of a group of people who will decide if I fulfilled all of the requirements.”

The Flathead Lake monster must be proud.