Seventeen-year-old Eugene Dobberfuhl is leaving his mark on his hometown with the gaga ball pit he helped build at Jim Hansen Park in South Elgin.
Dobberfuhl came up with the idea, raised $3,000 to fund its construction and then organized the labor needed to build it as his Eagle Scout service project.
If you’ve never heard of gaga ball, it’s become a popular activity at summer camps and on school playgrounds. It’s like dodgeball, Dobberfuhl said, but the objective is to hit your opponents’ feet rather than knocking them off them.
“The last person standing wins. It’s a lot of fun,” he said.
“I went up to summer camp for Boy Scouts for many, many years. One of the staples was a gaga ball pit. … It was extremely popular for boy scouting. However, within the last few years I’ve seen more gaga ball pits around at school.”
Dobberfuhl, a South Elgin High School student, said that as he gained more responsibilities and leadership roles through scouting, he set his sights on attaining the Eagle rank, something only about 5% of Scouts accomplish.
He chose Jim Hansen Park for the ball pit because it’s only two blocks from his family home, he said.
“It’s the park I’ve played at since I was really young. I’ve played baseball there. It’s a special place for me,” he said.
Hansen Park is also very busy so the pit should get good use, he added.
Becoming an Eagle Scout involves “a lot of work. There’s a lot of waiting and important life skills you need,” Dobberfuhl said. The completion of the service project was one of the last requirements he needed to fulfill before the process was complete, he said.
“I’ve just been dedicated to this,” he said. “Now I can take a deep breath knowing I achieved this. It feels fantastic.”
South Elgin Parks and Recreation was glad to be the beneficiary of Dobberfuhl’s work, Director Kim Wascher said. The district has one other gaga ball pit, also built as an Eagle Scout project in 2020, she said.
“Gaga ball has been around for a very long time. There are lots of kids who have done this at school. It’s been a really popular thing in our park,” Wascher said. “It was a nice amenity to add to that park.”
Dobberfuhl said he started the service project in spring 2023 by approaching the South Elgin Park District with the idea. He worked with Wascher, who helped connect him to businesses and corporations that might be willing to contribute toward the project’s $3,000 cost.
“It provided me with an experience of being able to reach out to people more confidently to achieve my goals,” Dobberfuhl said.
The ball pit was a kit he put together in mid-June with help from his troop and parks and recreation employees.
“His hard work, leadership and dedication to serving the community have left a lasting impact that park visitors will enjoy for years to come,” the district said in a social media post about the pit’s completion.
“Thank you, Eugene, for your commitment to making South Elgin an even better place to live, play and connect. We are proud to celebrate this accomplishment and wish you continued success on your journey to earning the rank of Eagle Scout!”
Dobberfuhl said he enjoys the sense of accomplishment he feels when he sees the end result of his work.
“Every time I see (the pit) being used, it brings a smile to my face,” he said.
“I feel like when I eventually go to college and have to leave this town, a little part of me will be here to show I contributed to the community,” Dobberfuhl said. “I hope this pit has a long-lasting impact on kids and people who go to the park every single day.”
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The (Elgin) Courier-News.
