Scouts from local Troop 828 once again completed a valuable community service on the Saturday before Memorial Day. For at least the 15th consecutive year, Scouts from Troop 828 placed an American flag on the graves of every known veteran buried in Prospect Hill. Those veterans served in wars ranging from the American Revolution and War of 1812 up through the war in Grenada. In all, over 400 known veterans are buried in the historic cemetery.*
Assistant Scoutmaster Edward Sawada oversaw the Boy Scouts as they located veterans’ graves throughout the 6-acre cemetery. PHC Board member Vince Nesline provided a printout with the names of every veteran which the cemetery is aware of (as a 100+ year old burial ground, records from the earliest years are sketchy, but the Board has made a concentrated effort to identify all veterans). The boys worked steadily throughout the morning to complete the project.
“This is a great opportunity for the boys to get out and do community service and to pay respect to those who served. It’s a perfect event to kick off the Memorial Day weekend while teaching the Scouts some history,” commented Scoutmaster Bill Schnirel.
Assistant Scout Master Rob Bitting added, “This gives the boys an appreciation for soldiers who made sacrifices for our country.”
One young Scout planted flags on the graves of the oldest veterans in Prospect Hill, Solomon and John Hillen. When asked for his reaction to this project, he responded, “I don’t mind coming out on a Saturday morning, these veterans have earned it. It means a lot that they fought for us and they deserve to be recognized.”
The flags are provided each year by American Legion Post 22 in Towson, and Post member Ken Pennell and Stuart Blair (Chair of the Post’s Americanism program, which decorates veterans’ graves in 7-10 local cemeteries each year), were both on hand. Also present were PHC Board members Brian Kuebler, Roger Gookin and Ginger Galvez.
* Note to Families: Please call the cemetery at 410-252-8462 if you wish to check whether a family member is on our database. We are happy to update our records.
Scouts from Troop 828, along with adult leaders and parents, gathered at Prospect Hill to complete their annual service project.
A 14-year old Scout places a flag on a WWII veteran’s grave.
Honoring the Hillen brothers with flags.
An enthusiastic young Scout holds some of the flags.
Stuart Blair and Ken Pennell, from American Legion Post 22, with Board member Brian Kuebler.
