On Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, Tyler Ernst, a 16-year-old Eagle Scout candidate from Lindenwold, directed his Boy Scout Troop 54 in putting a new, updated appearance to St. Luke's Catholic Medical Services located in North Camden.

St. Luke's currently is housed in a tired, worn facility that provides primary care medical services to a mostly Hispanic population in North Camden and neighboring areas of Camden. Because most of St. Luke's patients are poor, the medical practice does not have the funds necessary to renovate some water-damaged walls or paint the interior offices.

That is when Tyler Ernst, a student at St. Augustine Preparatory School, Richland, came to the rescue. As part of his Eagle Scout requirements, Tyler needed to select a challenging work project. Through Jennifer Dyer, Catholic Charities director of parish and community ministries, he was introduced to the opportunity of painting the interior offices of St. Luke's.

Seeing St. Luke's facility, he realized it needed more than painting. There were water-damaged walls, stained ceiling tiles, and years' worth of outdated medical charts simply taking up much needed storage space.

Instead of giving the facility a  couple of quick coats of paint as planned, the teen coordinated and directed nearly 30 scout and adult volunteers over a weekend.

The team:

•         removed and replaced water-damaged walls in the patient waiting room and staff kitchen,

•         replaced waiting room ceiling tiles,

•         painted the patient exam rooms and waiting room of the medical practice,

•         positioned for shredding 17 years worth of old medical records (equating to thousands of records) and

•         completely re-organized the inactive medical records for the practice.

Dr. Lesly D'Ambola, medical director for St. Luke's, was on hand Saturday morning to welcome the Scouts and lend a word of encouragement and praise.

"Because we treat the indigent population of Camden, our practice simply does not have the financial wherewithal to repair and update our office's physical appearance," D'Ambola said. "Having Tyler and his fellow Scouts perform this act of service for St. Luke's is such a benefit to the North Camden community who utilize our facility so frequently."

Dyer said "Many of the patients who frequent St. Luke's for medical services come from a physically compromised environment. Unfortunately, when they entered the office in the past, they continued to experience that challenging physical condition of poverty.

"However," she continued, "thanks to Tyler's Eagle Scout project and the individuals who sacrificed their weekend to participate in this wonderful effort, St. Luke's now has the opportunity to allow these patients a dignity to which each person should be entitled. Their service project actually should be seen also as a 'justice' project as well."

Individuals or groups interested in performing similar projects or service initiatives can contact Jennifer Dyer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 856.342.4107.