Local Youth Builds Blessing Box

Unlike some his age, 17-year-old Landon Loftis says he has no desire to leave Caswell County.

"This is where all my friends and family are, I wouldn't want to leave them," Landon explained when asked about his plans for the future. "I love it here."

The son of Bradley and Pamela Loftis, Landon was full of pride as he described his family and their farm on Shady Grove Road.

"When I look at what a good person should be, I look to my grandparents," Landon said, recalling memories of growing up beside Robin and Andy Loftis.

"She's a really good woman," he said fondly of his grandmother, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to stay with her after school while his parents worked and for all that she continued to do to make sure everyone in the family had what they needed. He also recalled childhood afternoons spent helping her at Shady Grove United Methodist Church's food pantry.

"I don't attend like I probably should, but yea, that's my church," he said a bit sheepishly.

Landon shared that he misses the cows his grandfather once had and that he believes growing up on a farm uniquely prepares a person to handle a wide variety of challenges and uncertainties.

"It's been normalized to do whatever you want to instead of what's right," he said, explaining that farm life taught discipline, and a wide range of skills.

"There's not a whole lot they can't do," he grinned, as he spoke of his grandfather Andy, his father Bradley, and his uncle James "JR" Loftis.

Landon credits their know-how and assistance, along with his older brother, Tanner for the recent construction of a Blessing Box at Speech Stars in Yanceyville that served as his Eagle Scout project. The Blessing Box provides a weathertight, elevated structure that can be filled with non-perishable food, hygiene products, and other essential items. Most Blessing Boxes operate on a "take what you need, leave what you can" model.

Landon joined the Boy Scouts when he was in 6th grade. His older brother, Tanner had been introduced to scouting in middle school and Landon thought it looked like fun. The boys were first in Troop 4372 before later transferring to Troop 4338, hosted at Bethesda Presbyterian Church.

Tanner, who is currently away at college, had once built a Blessing Box for his Eagle Scout project so Speech Stars reached out to the family when they wanted to have one constructed in Yanceyville.

When asked if Boy Scouts had anything to teach farm kids accustomed to all things outdoors, Landon was quick to respond, "absolutely," pointing to things like knot tying and survival skills as key lessons for him. He added that summer camp at the Cherokee Scout Camp was always his favorite part of scouting.

Landon expressed admiration over Tanner's academic achievements, noting that his brother had always done well in school. He also said that he would not be following in his brother's footsteps when it came to college because he did not enjoy being in a classroom.

Landon has worked as a cashier and bagger at Old Dutch Supermarket in Danville since he turned 16 but he just finished his senior year at Bartlett Yancey Senior High School in January and hopes to find a full-time job soon. He said he does not have a specific role in mind yet but hoped it would be something that would allow him to work with his hands - to build things, to fix things.

When asked to describe his perfect job, Landon grinned and said he would love nothing more than to raise cows on the farm like his grandfather had once done.

"There's always something that needs to be done when you have cows," he said, listing off the daily chores, maintenance, animal care, and fence line inspections and repairs that go along with having livestock. "I like to stay busy."

When asked why he had taken the time and effort to complete an Eagle Scout project and build the Blessing Box when he did not need the experience for a college application, Landon answered that he was happy to do it because it met a need in the community and he knew the family could do it well.

"Anything we've built, should last," he said proudly in a way that implied he was talking about much more than the Blessing Box.