EPCHS Student Manages Building Addition Project at PAWS Shelter

Nolan Rahm, a senior at Evergreen Park Community High School, has been a volunteer at the P.A.W.S. - Tinley Park animal shelter for over 3 years and a Scout for over 10 years. When the time came for him to start planning his Boy Scout Eagle Project, he had only one place in mind, the shelter. He talked with P.A.W.S. Director Paul Egan about what he could do to help the shelter. “I need more space," Mr. Egan told him.

Nolan began reaching out to builders of all sizes and received mostly ‘No's’, but he did receive one ‘Yes.’ Danley’s Garage World, Chicago's largest garage builder, asked to meet with Nolan to talk about what he had in mind. Over the winter of 2016 Nolan gave his presentation to several members of Danley’s including the owner, Doug Cook, and his management team.

After the holidays Danley’s called Nolan to tell him they were in! Little did Nolan know the long process was just beginning. Over the course of the next three years Nolan and the Danley’s team would meet several times with the Tinley Park Village Board of Directors, the Planning Commission, and the Mayor. They needed to rezone the current P.A.W.S. building, put together product boards, and draft several different blueprints before receiving the clearance and the permits to begin construction.

In the early spring of 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak began, the project came to a halt. Building supplies and restrictions made it near impossible to move forward with any speed. But in early summer of 2020, construction started and went on with no additional problems.

Over the course of the project Nolan never wavered. When the project would slow down for various reasons, he would look for other ways to improve the building. He sent out approximately 450 email messages requesting donations. From those requests, he received an impressive group of companies and individuals willing to help, including:

Danley’s Garage World (major construction)

Ozinga Concrete (discounted concrete)

MJP Concrete Finishing (excavation and concrete finishing)

Trela Roofing and Interiors (insulation for the building)

Boral Building Products (stone veneer)

Current Electric (rough and final electric)

Canino Electric (cash donation for electrical fixtures)

Parmount Electrical (emergency and exit lights)

Peace of Mind Organizer (professional organization support)

MR LEE Building Supplies (drywall)

Kelly Construction (drywall and painting)

Sherwin Williams (paint)

Ace Hardware (painting supplies)

Cintas (fire extinguisher)

Triton Industries (custom cut steel sign for the new building)

Performance Coating (powder coating for the new sign)

Mitsubishi (HVAC systems)

An Anonymous Donor (shelving)

P.A.W.S. Volunteers (labor to move supplies)

Rotary International (labor from two different Rotaries)

Scout Troop 618 (labor to move supplies)

“Danley’s Garages has been pleased to partner with Nolan Rahm and donate a supply building to P.A.W.S. of Tinley Park,” said Uday Khedkar, President of Danley’s Garage World. “Nolan approached us to discuss a charitable project for P.A.W.S., where he served as a volunteer. He presented the opportunity to Danley’s leadership team, delivered a thorough plan, and requested the donation of a supply building. Over the next three years, Nolan worked closely with Danley’s, P.A.W.S., and several additional charitable partners to bring the plan to life. We have been truly impressed by Nolan and feel incredibly fortunate to have partnered with him to make the project a reality.”

The building was completed in early October 2020 and the P.A.W.S. shelter is beginning to use it now. They hope to have a building dedication in the months ahead.

“Nolan is still not even 18 and has spent much of his teenage years working on this project and helping animals,” said Shelly Broniec, P.A.W.S. – Tinley Park Director. “He has wonderful parents who raised him to be dedicated and give 110%. Nolan volunteers every Saturday by taking care of animals at the shelter. His family fosters and truly goes above and beyond. We at P.A.W.S., are so proud to have Nolan as part of our team. His future is bright and we are lucky to have watched him grow to be the young man he is today.”

"I would really like to thank all the companies that stuck with me and the project for their donations of materials and amazing craftsmanship in order to make this dream a reality,” said Nolan Rahm. “It is hard to put into words how much P.A.W.S. means to me, my family, and all the volunteers that work there. I hope that my project and the companies that helped will inspire the next generation of volunteers to push the boundaries of helping their community."