by Raymond Butler Andrew Masters' Eagle Scout project, building a bridge at the Colorado River Refuge on the Dragonfly trail, was a long time in coming. "Building a bridge on protected land can be a long process, gaining approval and the paper work involved took just about a year and a half" said Andrew, "the actual hands on building took approximately a month to gather and build the components; Then two days of work on site". Like any project involving wood work, quite a bit had to be done off site and prior to the scheduled work date. Andrew set to work measuring, sawing, and constructing the components at home. 
The first day on site was preparatory work, post hole digging and placement. A few hitches were encountered, but all posts were successfully set. Those who helped were six members of the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints", as well as his father, mother, and sister. The next work day Andrew’s family and 10 friends began the final construction. Laying the tread and setting the hand rails in just 5 hours would have been much more difficult without the advice, tools and help of the seasoned mechanics and carpenters on hand. 
There is no doubt that this bridge will last long into the future, complementing the Colorado River Refuge trail system as well as assisting all those who walk the trails system. The completion of the bridge would not have been possible without the generous donations of the Home Depot and Pines and Prairies Land Trust as well as the support of Andrew’s community at the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints", family friends and most of all Andrew’s family. 
For more information about Pines and Prairies Land Trust please contact Carrie Knox at 512-308-1911 or check the website at www.pplt.org. Information about the Colorado River Refuge is available by calling Robert Vaughn at 512-237-1148 or emailing vaughnrobertJ@gmail.com. For question please call Carrie Knox at 512-308-1911 or Robert Vaughn at 512-237-1148
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