A LOCAL BOY SCOUT IS WORKING TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE HIGHEST RANK. YOU CAN BE AT THE ORGANIZATION. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M SARAH FILI. IT’S A GOAL ALL THE MORE REMARKABLE AFTER HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM. KETV NEWSWATCH 7. JOSH KRISTIANTO ATTENDED ONE OF THE PROJECTS HE SET UP TODAY. HE JOINS US LIVE WITH THAT STORY. YEAH, 16 YEAR OLD THOMAS KEENAN DOESN’T LET HIS DISABILITY STOP HIM FROM HELPING OTHERS WITH DISABILITIES. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HE AND HIS BOY SCOUT TROOP DID TODAY AT THE MONROE MEYER INSTITUTE AROUND HERE. IF THOMAS KEENAN’S LEARNED ONE THING SO FAR, IT’S THAT BUILDING TOYS FOR DISABLED CHILDREN MIGHT BE EASIER THAN LEADING A WHOLE BOY SCOUT TROOP THROUGH EACH OF THE STEPS. SHOWING THEM AS IT’S IT’S TOUGH. IT’S ALL TO SAY, TO BE FAIR, THIS ISN’T YOUR TYPICAL BOY SCOUT DRILL. FOR KEENAN, IT’S A WAY OF GIVING BACK. SOME KIDS HAVE TROUBLE COMMUNICATE FIGHTING WITH PEOPLE IN THE REAL WORLD. AND I SOMETIMES DO THAT. KEENAN RECEIVED HIS AUTISM SPECTRUM DIAGNOSIS AT UPMC’S MONROE MEYER INSTITUTE, WHICH TREATS KIDS WITH DISABILITIES, AND HE FOUND HELP HERE. HIS MOM SAYS AS A KID, KEENAN DIDN’T HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND WAS OSTRACIZED BECAUSE HE STRUGGLED TO COMMUNICATE. BUT SHE SAYS, HE FOUND HIS VOICE WITH THE BOY SCOUTS. BEING BOY SCOUTS. HE HAD A GROUP OF KIDS THAT HE COULD RUN AROUND THAT HE COULD GO TO CAMP. AND HE WENT TO CAMP FOR, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL SUMMERS. HE GOT SOME WEEKENDS OFF. HE HAS THIS WEEKLY MAY BEING SAID HE MADE GREAT FRIENDS. WE’VE SEEN THOMAS GROW FROM A VERY QUIET YOUNG MAN INTO WHAT YOU SEE TODAY IN ORGANIZING THIS. NOW, KEENAN WANTS TO BE AN EAGLE SCOUT, THE HIGHEST RANK IN THE BOY SCOUTS. AND HE CERTAINLY HAS THE HEART FOR IT. KIDS WITH DISABILITIES, THEY HAVE THEY HAVE. THEY’RE JUST LIKE ANY NORMAL KID. THEY HAVE HEART. AND I THOUGHT, WHY NOT? WHY NOT, YOU KNOW, MAKE TOYS FOR THEM TO ENJOY. AND GIDEON RAISED OVER $1,000 HIMSELF TO FINANCE THIS PROJECT, USE THE SAVINGS SUMMER EARNINGS AN
Bellevue Boy Scout builds toys for kids with disabilities
Keenan wants to be an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts. And he certainly has the heart for it.
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Updated: 7:34 PM CST Feb 11, 2023
A local Boy Scout is working toward achieving the highest rank you can be in the organization. It is a goal all the more remarkable after he was diagnosed with autism. Sixteen-year-old Thomas Keenan does not let his disabilities stop him from helping others with disabilities, and that is exactly what he and his Boy Scout troop did Saturday at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. If Keenan has learned one thing so far, it is that building toys for disabled children might be easier than leading a whole troop through each of the steps. "Showing them is — it's tough. That's all I'm going to say," he said. To be fair, this is not your typical Boy Scout drill. For Keenan, it is a way of giving back. "Some kids have trouble communicating with people in the real world. I sometimes do that," said Keenan, who is part of Bellevue Troop 483. Keenan received his autism spectrum diagnosis at UNMC's Munroe-Meyer Institute, which treats kids with disabilities, and he found help there. His mom says as a kid, Keenan did not have a lot of friends and was ostracized because he struggled to communicate. But she says he found his voice with the Boy Scouts. "Being in Boy Scouts, he had a group of kids that he could run around with, he could go to camp and he went to camp for several summers, he goes on weekends, he has his weekly meetings and he made great friends," said Melinda Keenan. "We've seen Thomas grow from a very quiet, young man into what you see today in organizing this," said Brian Trimpey, the Troop 483 activities chair. "Couldn't be more proud of him. I mean, that's why every leader in this room is here."Now, Keenan wants to be an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts. And he certainly has the heart for it. "Kids with disabilities, they're just like any normal kid. They have heart. And I thought why not, you know, make toys for them to enjoy," Keenan said. He raised more than $1,000 himself to finance this project. He used his savings, summer earnings and got help from his family as well.Top headlines:Omaha man arrested after hitting NSP cruiser during pursuit ACLU releases 'Equality, Respect and Dignity' video ahead of new proposed bills Opposition outnumbers support for 'Suicide Protection Order Act'
OMAHA, Neb. — A local Boy Scout is working toward achieving the highest rank you can be in the organization. It is a goal all the more remarkable after he was diagnosed with autism.
Sixteen-year-old Thomas Keenan does not let his disabilities stop him from helping others with disabilities, and that is exactly what he and his Boy Scout troop did Saturday at the Munroe-Meyer Institute.
If Keenan has learned one thing so far, it is that building toys for disabled children might be easier than leading a whole troop through each of the steps.
"Showing them is — it's tough. That's all I'm going to say," he said.
To be fair, this is not your typical Boy Scout drill. For Keenan, it is a way of giving back.
"Some kids have trouble communicating with people in the real world. I sometimes do that," said Keenan, who is part of Bellevue Troop 483.
Keenan received his autism spectrum diagnosis at UNMC's Munroe-Meyer Institute, which treats kids with disabilities, and he found help there.
His mom says as a kid, Keenan did not have a lot of friends and was ostracized because he struggled to communicate. But she says he found his voice with the Boy Scouts.
"Being in Boy Scouts, he had a group of kids that he could run around with, he could go to camp and he went to camp for several summers, he goes on weekends, he has his weekly meetings and he made great friends," said Melinda Keenan.
"We've seen Thomas grow from a very quiet, young man into what you see today in organizing this," said Brian Trimpey, the Troop 483 activities chair. "Couldn't be more proud of him. I mean, that's why every leader in this room is here."
Now, Keenan wants to be an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts. And he certainly has the heart for it.
"Kids with disabilities, they're just like any normal kid. They have heart. And I thought why not, you know, make toys for them to enjoy," Keenan said.
He raised more than $1,000 himself to finance this project. He used his savings, summer earnings and got help from his family as well.
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