MONTGOMERY A new meditation garden is available for public use as a place of reflection at the Otto Kaufman Community Center in Montgomery.

Sahib Singh, a 16-year-old senior at Montgomery High School, planned and constructed the garden as his Eagle Scout project. The garden includes a small patio, benches, plantings, and an arbor in a serene natural setting, as he wanted to create a calm and relaxing space for the entire Montgomery community.

"In the community in general and in the high school particularly you see stress as a huge factor," Sahib said. "When I did my research I came across meditation as something that would be helpful to the community."

Sahib was motivated in part by a recent "Huffington Post" article, which stated, "Everyday life brings numerous challenges and stresses. Studies show that meditation is associated with improvement in a variety of psychological areas, including stress, anxiety, addiction, depression, eating disorders and cognitive function, among others. There is also research to suggest that meditation can reduce blood pressure, pain response, stress hormone levels and even cellular health."

Sahib had to get township approval for the project as it is located on township property.

He also had to raise $2,100 for the project. Donations for the project came from the Montgomery/Rocky Hill Municipal Alliance, Cub Scout Pack 185, GDB International, Montgomery Shade Tree Commission, Lowes, Belle Mead Co-op, Belle Mead Orthodontics, Allstate Insurance, Mark Napolitano Landscape Architects, and Maples.

Larry Koplik, of the townships Shade Tree Commission, helped Sahib determine what to plant in the garden. His Eagle Scout adviser Paul Arutib oversaw the project and he also had help from his parents and Sunil Bagaria, a family friend, he said.

Sahib said he learned a lot about leadership during his Eagle Scout project, including how to accept help when it was offered to him and how to motivate people to help him.

"You just cant tell people what to do," he said. "You have to make them believe in your vision."

Sahib joined the Boy Scouts about six years ago.

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MONTGOMERY: Scout creates meditation garden