Thanks to Gene and his aunt Karol Kleppinger, the pool house which fronts Emmaus Community Pool sports a new facade.

For Gene, completing the painting of the pool house brings him one step closer to achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest echelon in Scouting.

For Karol, contributing to the decor of the pool house demonstrates her support for her nephew.

For both, the project has been a labor of love.

Gene began his Scouting career as a first grader. He joined Cub Pack 25, based out of St. John’s UCC, Emmaus.

In 2010, the centennial anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America, Kleppinger crossed over from the Cub Pack to the Boy Scout Troop. By engaging in many Troop field and camping trips and earning merit badges, he climbed through the ranks.

Eventually, Kleppinger focused on becoming an Eagle Scout.

He approached Shane Pepe, Emmaus Borough manager, to discuss a possible community service project. Pepe offered several suggestions and Kleppinger decided to paint the Emmaus Community Pool’s pool house.

In March 2015, Kleppinger began preparing to paint the pool house. He scraped, sanded, and power washed. In Kleppinger’s words, “I figured it was going to be a lot [of work] but not as much as we ran into.”

After Kleppinger completed the painting, his aunt Karol created a mural adjacent to the entry.

Currently employed as an art teacher at Harrison Morton and South Mountain middle schools, Karol Kleppinger has strong ties to the Emmaus community. She donated her time and talent to enhancing her nephew’s project out of familial affection and because, as she stated, “This has been my pool since I was nine years old.”

Her mural depicts a Great Blue Heron wading in water lilies. She chose a heron because the bird is native to the area and lilies because she is partial to them.

With the physical labor completed, Kleppinger will present his project to a review board. With board approval, he will be elevated to the rank of Eagle Scout during a formal ceremony.

Achieving this honor has been one of several major goals for Kleppinger. Kleppinger, who will be a senior at Emmaus High School in the fall, seeks to hone his skills and become a professional mechanic. He will enter the Army Reserve and intends to pursue Automotive Service Excellence Certification.

Scouting has given Kleppinger the confidence to tackle difficult tasks and to see them through to completion. The qualities which have made him a successful Boy Scout will serve him well as he crosses over into the world of adulthood.