2025 Class – Capstone Report: Raising the Roof at WildSouls

Story by Max Eiberger (2025)

Photos by  Andrew McCoy

Hello, my name is Max Eiberger. This document serves as a written recollection of the Eagle Enclosure project, completed as a capstone project for the Missouri Master Naturalist program.

The project was carried out by Mike Stofiel and myself. I am writing this account from my own perspective and memory of the experience.

The scope of the project involved completing a metal carport structure, lifting it onto pre-installed telephone poles, and securely fastening it to the foundation. The project was originally started by one of the founders of WildSouls, who unfortunately passed away unexpectedly before it could be completed.

When I first selected my capstone project, I was immediately drawn to the eagle enclosure because it involved hands-on construction work and was labeled as a priority project. Before visiting the site, I remember feeling somewhat anxious. There was early confusion regarding the exact scope of work, which added to my uncertainty. However, once we connected with WildSouls and the other individuals who would be assisting, everything became much clearer.

We developed a solid plan and were supported by motivated and capable volunteers. Looking back now, it’s a bit funny to remember how intimidated we initially felt by the size of the roof—it turned out to be far more manageable than it first appeared.

We scheduled a meeting to bring everyone together, review the project, and go over the details.

During this meeting, we were introduced to Grant, who stepped into a leadership role for the project. From my understanding, Grant is involved with WildSouls through his daughter, who volunteers there. After the passing of the original founder, Grant recognized that additional help was needed to complete the enclosure. He proved to be very knowledgeable and organized, and I was grateful for his help in drafting the plan and coordinating the work. We also met another community member—a metal fabricator—who generously created custom metal components that allowed us to mount the carport securely onto the elevated poles.

After discussing logistics, we determined that we would need approximately 20 people to assemble the carport and lift it onto the poles. We selected December 13th as the workday.

Each of us was responsible for recruiting at least four volunteers to meet our manpower goal.

Fortunately, Nate Blanton and John Church were able to help, along with several of my friends—Paul Cooper, Andrew McCoy, Michael Weir, and Lincoln Weir. Having so many people available turned out to be essential, as the project required every bit of help we could get.