John McMenimen connects two sections of fencing for his Eagle Scout project at the Martin County Humane Society.

FAIRMONT — The Martin County Humane Society is sporting some new dog kennels, thanks to John McMenimen and his Eagle Scout project. McMenimen, 17, was inspired to do the project because of the positive impact rescue dogs have had on his life.

“They have been such a big part of my life. I’ve only spent a week out of my entire life without having a dog to come home to, and that was a pretty miserable week,” he said.

His current furry friend, a medium sized mixed breed two-year-old dog with a glistening ebony coat, was adopted from the Martin County Humane Society in Fairmont. He named her Agape, the Greek word for love, and she came with a companion, Max, who had been her kennel mate.

“They brought her out first, and she came right to me. My mom got jealous so to appease my mom, we had to get Max too,” he said with a chuckle. “Max loved her. We don’t choose the dog. The dog chooses us.”

McMenimen said the family has had six dogs, four of which have been rescues, and their two latest four-legged acquisitions made him aware of the needs at the MCHS.

“Because of the two dogs we had just gotten, I realized how much work needed to be done in the back with the kennels,” he said.

As a member of Troop 250 out of Mountain Lake and Butterfield, McMenimen targeted the MCHS for his Eagle Scout project. He spent six months organizing the project and getting it approved at the various levels. Last week, he sold wooden Christmas ornaments at Five Lakes Centre to raise the $1,100 to purchase the chain link fencing and supplies he needed for the project.

McMenimen then recruited and led a crew of a dozen people in tearing out and replacing two storage areas and three kennels, many of them so rusted they were not able to be salvaged for parts. His crew of volunteers consisted of family and friends, some of whom were former Eagle Scouts themselves.

The old kennels, which were used for small dogs and dogs that needed extra confinement, originally had been moved from the old impound lot to the current animal shelter site. The current site is 30 years old so that gives an indication of the age and condition of the old kennels.

McMenimen’s gift was not limited to the kennels. After paying for all the materials needed for the new kennels, he had $550 remaining from his fundraising efforts, money that he then donated to the MCHS.

McMenimen, a senior at Windom High School, is the son of Rob and Tami McMenimen of Butterfield.