The late John Brockamp donated his family farm so Catholic Charities could build its largest affordable housing community to date, 142-unit Good Shepherd Village in Happy Valley.
A careful observer of the stunning and colorful property will note that small plaques with Brockamp’s name are affixed to two stylish little libraries on site. The plaques also reveal that the creator of the pint-sized book collections was Benson Deibele, Brockamp’s grandson.
He thinks his grandfather would be proud of the affordable housing, plus the libraries.
“For all my life, every time I saw him, he was doing something to help people,” Benson says of the man he knew as “Papa.”
Benson oversaw design, construction, placement and stocking of the libraries last year as part of his Eagle Scout project for Troop 351, based at St. Ignatius Parish in Southeast Portland.
Benson, now a first-year student at Linfield University, got a taste of leadership and delegation, a key for Eagle Scouts.
Benson has fond memories of family reunions on the farm. That includes colorful candy-stuffed pinatas hanging from the branches, water balloon fights, face painting and massive potluck meals.
“It would be a lot of fun,” Benson recalls. “There were lots of grandkids the same age.”
When he got older, Benson would help maintain the property, walking it end-to-end with pruning shears and a lawn mower.
While the memories are gratifying, he is delighted at what came of the farm. “It’s just great news that it’s getting used for so many people,” he says.
At the groundbreaking for Good Shepherd Village in spring 2022, Benson was trying to come up with a good Eagle Scout project. He had noticed little libraries in his neighborhood and, as an avid reader, recognized their charms. He appreciates how the small collections of books become communal gathering places where people talk about literature and life.
“I thought that for a community that was brand new, it would be very helpful,” he says.
At Linfield, he has not yet come upon the time for committing to a major, but is leaning toward business management. The Eagle project helped him see what it’s like to lead a venture.
Planning was the longest stage and took a lot of communication. He had to work with staff on site to choose a location, write up plans and modify his ideas to suit the space. Walsh Construction helped with scrap wood. Then he directed other Scouts and volunteers to do the labor of building and painting.
Benson himself carried out the finishing touches – handles, latches and interior paneling.
As for books to get the sharing started, he brought some from home and asked fellow Scouts to look through their collections.
Benson is delighted to have contributed to what his grandfather started.
“I did a small thing, and he made this big thing happen,” Benson says. “That’s a good feeling.”