West Islip teen leads a shed-raising for a veteran

A West Islip teen with a passion for patriotism has completed a construction project for a local organization that provides homes for veterans.

Chase Miller, a senior at West Islip High School, raised $4,000 and led the creation of a large storage shed for a veteran who has been aided byUnited Veterans Beacon House in Bay Shore, an organization that provides “temporary and permanent residences for U.S. military veterans,” according to its website. The shed is on the property of a female veteran who lives in Central Islip, he said.

Miller said he keeps an American flag in his bedroom that his late grandfather, William, brought home after serving in the Marine Corps, which he joined after high school in 1959.

“I think helping veterans should be something that everyone takes some time out of their day to do, because they fought to keep our country safe and keep our country together from massive threats,” said Miller, who pursued the shed project as part of his Eagle Scout Award, the highest achievement within Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America. He is a member of Troop 95 in West Islip.

Miller, 17, said he got the idea for the project from Legis. Steve Flotteron (R-Brightwaters) after asking for help connecting with an organization that assists veterans. Flotteron recommended the United Veterans Beacon House, which told Miller about a Central Islip veteran who needed a shed.

To raise funds, Miller hosted a car wash at the West Islip Church of Christ and contacted Our Little Italy Pizza & Pasta in West Islip, which donated a percentage of its proceeds during a four-hour period one evening last year. He also received a grant from the Andrew McMorris Foundation in Wading River, along with discounts and donations of materials from local stores including Ace Hardware, Home Depot and Lowe’s.

The shed was erected last summer over 12 hours with the help of fellow scouts and family members, Miller said. He completed his Eagle Scout Board of Review in December.

“It was better than what I was picturing — definitely,” Miller said of the finished shed.

Flotteron commended the teen for his “passion for wanting to help” veterans on Long Island.

Nominate a Long Islander who goes above and beyond or serves as an inspiration to their community. Send details and photograph to Michael Ebert, michael.ebert@newsday.com (photos should be high-resolution). Photos maybe used in other publications affiliated with Newsday.