Affton Teen Raises the Roof for St. Louis Nonprofit

In tough economic times, nonprofit organizations and charities become more dependent on the generosity of volunteers who donate their time, labor or funds. This summer, one St. Louis-based nonprofit will be able to check an item off its wish list thanks to the efforts of an Affton teen.

Luke Panchot, 17, has raised $850 for materials to build a lean-to shelter for horses belonging to Ride On St. Louis. Established in 1998, the organization provides therapy through horseback riding for the developmentally and physically disabled, as well as disadvantaged youth.

A member of Boy Scout Troop 586 and junior at St. John Vianney High School, Panchot is undertaking the project as part of his effort to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, scouting’s highest honor. To earn his rank as Eagle Scout, Panchot is required to create, organize and lead his own service project.

Maria Panchot, Luke’s mother, said she is proud of her son. Although volunteering is something that doesn’t come naturally to teenagers, she encouraged others to give it a shot.

“As a general rule, teens are pretty much centered on themselves,” she said. “It gives them an outlet and an avenue to focus on the fact that they are not the only ones in the world. It brings it home that we really are here to serve other people."

To satisfy the Eagle Scout requirement, simply raising money for the project won’t be enough. Panchot, along with some friends, will tackle the task from start to finish.

“I had to raise all the money for this project, and I have to get all the building materials,” Panchot said. “We are just going to get out there and build this shelter.”

Panchot said the shelter will be 10 feet tall and 20 feet long when it’s finished, enough space for a few horses to have cover if severe weather strikes suddenly.

The idea for the project stemmed from the summer of Panchot’s freshman year at St. John Vianney. That year, Panchot volunteered at Ride On St. Louis as a way of fulfilling the 20 hours of community service required by the high school.

Instead of ladling food at a soup kitchen, Panchot found himself shoveling muck out of horse stables. However, he said he came out of the experience feeling good about the hard work he had done.

“Everyone down there is extremely friendly and most of them are volunteers…I really got to know some nice people down there,” he said. “The people who do it every single day haven’t had a vacation in a long time, so I was able to help give them some time off.”

So when it came time to decide on his service project for his Eagle Scout rank, Panchot decided to return to the pastures at Ride On St. Louis. That, he said, was the simple part.

“The project itself seemed easy when you looked at it, but then when you start to work, you see how much is involved,” he said.

There were people to call, letters to write, funds to raise, volunteers to recruit and organizations to contact. However, like a lot of volunteer work, Panchot said the payoff made the effort worth it.

“You feel really good,” he said. “It’s a lot of work, but with the help of family and friends, you can get it completed.”

Although he has raised a considerable amount of money so far, Panchot is still $100 short of the total cost of the project. To contribute, send checks payable to Luke Panchot to 4647 Weber Terrace Court, St. Louis, MO 63123. Receipts can be provided on request.

For more information about Ride on St. Louis and how to help the organization continue its mission, visit their website or call 636-464-3408.