Kevin Coomers of Bowling Green stretches Saturday before the "Miles 4 Smiles" event at Kereiakes Park.

A scout since elementary school, Ben Peterson, 16, knew he wanted to achieve the top rank of Eagle Scout.

“You kind of have to finish it,” he said of scouting. “You can’t just leave something that you’ve started.”

Peterson, a junior at Bowling Green High School, wanted to do something meaningful for his Eagle Scout project, but he struggled at first to come up with an idea.

“Eagle Scout projects, they can’t be fundraisers, so I was just kind of throwing ideas around,” he said. “During that time, the Youth Services Center ran out of tissues, so I was like, oh, I could do a hygiene drive for the school.”

He decided to use his love of running to help his school’s Youth Services Center by organizing “Miles 4 Smiles,” a 5K run and walk Saturday at Kereiakes Park. Instead of paying an entry fee, participants donated a toiletry item to the Youth Services Center at BGHS. The goal was to ensure that the Youth Services Center is stocked with toiletries like deodorant, soap and toothpaste in order to provide those items to students who can’t afford it.

He came up with the name “Miles 4 Smiles” because by running or walking several miles, participants will make recipients of the toiletries happy. “Whenever people get hygiene items, everyone smiles,” Peterson said.

The “4” in the event’s name represents the four groups of people that helped him with the project: his family, friends, cross-country coach and Youth Services Center staff.

The project is also his way of giving back to those who have helped him throughout his scouting experience with Troop 79 at Christ United Methodist Church.

“It was really fun,” Peterson said. “It’s kind of like a brotherhood.”

He was pleased with the turnout of 28 runners and 15 walkers Saturday.

Matt Hamilton, Peterson’s cross-country coach, helped set up the course because he thought it was a great event that showed Peterson’s dedication to track. 

“For him to put it all together and everything, it shows his aptitude for organizing and being a part of the community,” Hamilton said.

Several members of the cross-country team came to support Peterson on Saturday, including Owen Hanna, 17, a senior at BGHS. 

“It’s fun for the people involved, and it gives back to the community,” Hanna said.

Lilly Wheet, a co-partner at Trax Running, volunteered at “Miles 4 Smiles” because she believed in the cause.

“This is what it’s all about,” Wheet said. “It’s the community doing things for the community.”