Published Oct 14, 2026
Courtesy of Ten Lives Club
The Ten Lives Club, a cat rescue group in Blasdell, New York, recently received a beautiful new donation shed thanks to the generosity and hard work of a local Boy Scout named Zachary.
Zachary, who is a member of Boy Scout Troop 92, spent months planning, developing, and directing the construction of the donation shed for his Eagle Scout service project, one of the major requirements for Scouts working toward Scouting America’s highest rank: Eagle Scout.
Eagle Scout projects are intended to benefit the community. Scouts can choose to help any religious institution, school, or organization in their area other than Scouting America. Before beginning, projects must be approved by the benefiting organization, the troop’s Scoutmaster and unit committee, and the local council or district.
According to Sallie Edwards, president of the Ten Lives Club, Zachary knew he wanted his project to benefit the local cat rescue. Zachary is a huge cat lover, and his family had previously adopted two cats from Ten Lives Club.
“It was incredibly special,” she said. “There are so many wonderful organizations Zachary could have chosen to support, so knowing that Ten Lives Club was the first one that came to mind meant a lot to all of us. Our organization has always been very community-driven, and seeing a young person recognize our mission and choose to dedicate this much time and effort to helping our cats was really touching.”
Courtesy of Ten Lives Club
Edwards said the new donation shed will make a huge difference for the nonprofit cat rescue, which cares for thousands of cats each year and relies heavily on community donations, including food, litter, cleaning supplies, and other everyday necessities.
“Something that may seem as simple as a shed actually has a very meaningful impact on our day-to-day operations,” she said. “Having a dedicated, protected space for those donations allows us to keep them organized and safe from the weather while making it much easier for our staff and volunteers to manage incoming supplies.”
After spending nearly an entire year on the project, Zachary and other representatives from Troop 92 delivered the shed to Ten Lives Club in September. The shed now stands in its permanent place outside the group’s main shelter.
Courtesy of Ten Lives Club
Edwards hopes to team up with Troop 92 again in the future. “Volunteers are such an important part of Ten Lives Club, and we love finding ways for local youth and community organizations to get involved,” she said. “Whether that means helping with projects around the shelter, donation drives, events, or opportunities to earn community service hours, we would love to continue that relationship.”
Now that the donation shed is in place, Ten Lives Club is in a great position to make the most of donated goods. The group maintains a comprehensive wish list on its website, as well as a link for monetary donations, which are used wherever the need is greatest, including for veterinary care.
“Cat food and litter are always among our biggest needs,” Edwards said. “We also go through an incredible amount of cleaning supplies, kitten supplies, paper products, and other everyday shelter necessities. Since Ten Lives Club is a nonprofit organization, community support truly keeps us going. Every bag of food, case of litter, supply donation, monetary gift, and volunteer hour helps us continue saying yes to cats who need us.”
Courtesy of Ten Lives Club
And there’s even more reason to celebrate: After completing his Eagle Scout project and the remaining requirements, Zachary officially earned his Eagle Scout rank. Only about 2% of all Scouts in history have achieved the rank since the inception of the award in 1912. Zachary’s Eagle Scout project is a lasting example of how his dedication to Scouting has made a difference for Ten Lives Club and the cats in its care.
“We’re extremely grateful to Zachary, his family, Troop 92, and everyone who helped make the project happen,” Edwards said.
