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Launching the “USS CyberDome,” a new Computer Education and Internet Cyber Center for the homeless, was a joint venture of Justiceville / Homeless, USA Dome Village and Boy Scout Troop 8 chartered to the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International.
Troop 8 Scout, Brent Harrill, and his mother, Lynn Harrill, helped out with a Thanksgiving Dinner for the homeless last November at the Dome Village. It was then that Brent heard of village founder, Ted Hayes’, dream – to transform one dome from an unimproved storage shed without electricity into a computer center where homeless, guests and residents of Dome Village, as well as youth living in the area, could be educated on computers and the Internet. Brent realized that he could make this dream into a reality by making it his Eagle Scout Community Service Project.
Under the leadership of Eagle Candidate, Brent Harrill, with the help of a professional carpenter and Troop 8 Scouts and Leaders, created custom-made counters to fit the curved walls. And with the guidance of professional electrician they dug a 150-foot trench between the main electrical pole and the dome, through which they ran piping and wiring. They installed a new electrical panel and circuit breaker outdoors. Furthermore, they installed fluorescent lighting fixtures, electrical outlets and modem hook-ups inside the dome. Brent procured $1700 in donations of materials used to make these installations and another $13,000 in donations of computers and accessories for the project.
The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the “USS Cyberdome” was held on Sunday, February 21, 1999. Robert Johnson, North Star District Committee Chairman and Tony Lopez, former North Star District Director, were in attendance. The news story ran in the Orange County Register, the Daily Breeze, La Opinion, KABC-TV news, on the Internet, and in various other newspapers throughout the country, courtesy of Associated Press.
Some residents, computer clubs and college students have since jumped on the bandwagon to oversee the software update and networking, as well as working with the residents and youth on training.
While Brent Harrill’s Eagle Project marked the end of his trek to Eagle, the project was an exciting beginning for Dome Village in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles.
Brent’s Eagle Court of Honor was held on Sunday, June 6th, 1999 at the Garden Pavilion at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International.
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