HAMPSTEAD — The grounds of Hampstead Central School have received a face-lift, thanks to a local Eagle Scout candidate.
Gareth Clarke, 17, a Pinkerton Academy senior and member of Boy Scout Troop 33, recently completed his Eagle Scout project, which involved landscaping around the Emerson Avenue elementary school.
"My landscape project included removing a garden bed retaining wall, the soil and mulch and some sod," he said. "It also included the recycling of the retaining wall bricks, which I used to build up a new wall for an already existing bed at the front of the school."
Clarke also placed two granite benches and red slate gravel where the old raised garden bed used to be, and placed blue stone gravel where the sod was removed near the stop sign. Three wooden garden planters also were installed near the front garden beds.
The project took more than 20 hours to plan, five hours to research and more than 167 hours of labor to finish. He had more than 25 people helping at one point or another, and the project cost $1,105. The benches were purchased by the school, and materials for the planters were donated by Clarke's parents, Gwilym and Susan Clarke. Additional money came from Barry Singelais of Alfa Aesar, a chemical company based in Haverhill, Mass.
Just as Clarke is wrapping up his Eagle Scout project, another local Boy Scout is just getting started on his.
Brett Hamel recently told the selectmen he plans to install, and have engraved, a new monument in front of Town Hall at Veterans Park that would have the names of all Hampstead veterans who have served in wars since Vietnam.
Brett, 15, a freshman at Pinkerton, belongs to Scout Troop 163 out of Chester. The proposed monument would match those already in place that are dedicated to veterans from the Korean and Vietnam wars. Brett estimated that the project would cost about $6,000, and he has already planned fundraisers, such as a pancake breakfast and booths at summer events in Hampstead.
"I will begin by researching the conflicts since Vietnam and checking records to find the names of those from Hampstead who participated," he said. "I will have help from the Scouts in my troop and members of the Pinkerton ROTC to help me dig the foundation."
Selectmen have signed off on the project, and now Brett must submit his plan and design to the Boy Scout Council for approval.
Anyone interested in contributing to the project can send checks to the Hampstead Town Hall, made out to Scout Troop 163/Brett Hamel Eagle Scout Project.
