Submitted by Troop 1, East Greenwich BSA

On Saturday, Oct. 16, Troop 1 East Greenwich BSA completed Phase 2 of their project of beautifying the anchor monument and benches at Academy Field. Troop 1’s committee chair, James Gorham, has been working in coordination with new Parks & Recreation director Andy Wade and Parks Foreman Bill Pagliarini to perform this much-needed community service project, in order to brighten up this beloved and much-used spot in the heart of town. 

The first phase, involving cleaning, sanding, and painting the benches, was completed in early September. The benches were painted in navy blue, in honor of the impressive anchor and our town’s long Naval history.

In preparation for Phase 2, which involved painting the base and walls of the monument, the Parks Department power washed the walls and base and cleared out weeds and debris. The walls and base had suffered significant deterioration in recent years with mildew and peeling paint compromising the beauty of the monument. 

“This was a great opportunity to introduce some of our newer scouts to the importance of performing community service,” said Gorham, who also noted it would “give some of our older scouts an opportunity to earn the community service hours required to rank up and advance toward the rank of Eagle Scout.”  

In addition to earning community service hours and making our town look more beautiful, the work performed by the scouts can also be used to help them fulfill requirements for the painting merit badge.