Thanks to Life Scout Kyle Fuller, the Polly Ann Trail just got a bit nicer for the many walkers, runners, bicyclists and equestrians who travel it every day.

In his quest to become an Eagle Scout, the 17-year-old Leonard resident created, for his community service project, a pleasant little rest area where the recreational trail begins in Oakland County on Bordman Rd., east of Rochester Rd.

“It looks nice,” said Fuller, who’s a member of Dryden’s Boy Scout Troop 130. “I think it turned out very well.”

The rest area consists of a wooden shelter with a metal roof covering a 48-square-foot section of brick pavers and an inviting bench. He put it near a trail map.

Fuller said the shelter is perfect for providing trail users with a shady place to relax and cool down on hot, sunny days and a dry place to wait out the rain when dark clouds roll in.

In addition to the shelter, Fuller also spread approximately 9 yards of crushed limestone on the trail to replace what had “washed away over the years” and spruce up the area. He was able to resurface about 300 feet of the trail.

Trail Manager Linda Moran is thrilled with Fuller’s enhancement of the Polly Ann, which winds its way through Addison, Oxford and Orion townships, including the villages of Leonard and Oxford.

“It’s absolutely gorgeous,” she said. “It’s probably the best section of the trail now.”

Moran said this addition was needed because “once you get up that far into northern Oakland County, there isn’t really any place to take shelter if you get caught in a rain storm or need a break before starting a return trip.”

“Now, there’s a nice little spot to rest,” she said. “It sparkles. He did such a lovely job. Everybody’s so happy (because) there’s a place to sit.”

According to Fuller, he and 13 members of Troop 130 invested about 150 hours in the trail project. He’s thankful for all the assistance his fellow scouts provided.

Fuller is also grateful to those who contributed to his project. He collected approximately $900 in donated materials, plus approximately $450 in cash.

“Everybody was very generous,” he said.

Church’s Lumber in Lapeer provided the wood. Orion Stone Depot donated the crushed limestone. The Oxford Township Parks and Recreation Department donated the brick pavers.

“Distinctive Design (in downtown Leonard) actually built the shelter for us,” Fuller noted.

Last, but not least, Fuller spoke very highly of Moran’s involvement.

“I would like to thank Linda a lot,” he said. “If we didn’t have her helping us out, we probably wouldn’t have got the project done.”

Fuller and his family are big fans of the non-motorized trail.

“We use it a lot,” he said. “We do a lot of biking. It’s very well-maintained.”

Fuller has been involved in scouting since the first grade.

In addition to enjoying the many campouts and adventure-filled activities such as whitewater rafting, Fuller said he’s “learned a lot of leadership skills over the years.”

“It’s just been a good experience,” he said.