Edna senior Mason Garcia just completed his last step for application to become an Eagle Scout, which was to host a blood drive.
The reason why you’re reading about it now is because he hosted the blood drive at the St. Agnes Catholic Church in memory of his father, Adam Garcia.
Mason didn’t want to build anything for his Eagle Scout project, although through FFA he built and entered end tables at the Jackson County Youth Fair. His Scoutmaster, William Reeves, gave him some ideas and a blood drive was in the list.
“At first I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but after a lot of praying and thinking I made up my mind,” Mason said. “So when this came together, I definitely wanted to do this in memory of my dad, so the meaning became a whole lot more to me.”
Delia, Mason’s mother, shared with him that blood drives were done for his father while he was still alive, so he contacted MD Anderson in Houston.
“He spoke after mass at church to invite the congregation to donate blood,” she said. “32 signed up, but we’re expecting walk-ins, too.”
Mason spoke about what he thought his dad would think about what he was doing.
“My dad was so proud of everything I did, so I know he would be with this, too. A time came where I didn’t want to continue in the Boy Scouts, but my mom and I talked about it and she helped me to see that my dad would’ve wanted for me to see this through,” he said. “And I’m glad I did. All the planning and the hard work, I see the payoff, and I’ll know I will feel so much joy and pride when it’s finished.”
Reeves said Mason to be smart, a good kid who pays attention to everything around him.
Mason is also very involved with St. Agnes by helping with fundraisers and volunteering at the Chuckwagon during the fair.
He is the son of Adam Garcia, Delia and Clay Tomanek, and plans to earn his electrician degree at Victoria Community College.
“Although camping and volunteering is the fun stuff, the Boy Scouts has prepared me in a way I didn’t think I needed to be prepared for,” Mason said. “It helped me with a lot of life skills, and the family life that surrounds us in the Boy Scouts is so supportive.”
