Eagle Scout Project Benefits Riverview Cemetery

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06c8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B>Member of </B><B>Buckskin Council #617</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Charter</B></div> <div> <B>March 29, 1917</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Founder</B></div> <div> <B>Don B. Lowe</B></div> <div> <I><B>1891 - 1975</B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Scoutmaster</B></div> <div> <B>Tom Dukas</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boy Scout Troop 3 in Parkersburg, West V"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06d8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Boy Scout Troop 3 in Parkersburg, West Virginia </B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boy Scout Troop 3 in Parkersburg, West V"><U><I><B>Home</B></I></U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06d8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Eagle Scout Project Benefits Riverview Cemetery</I></div> <bR> <div> An example of “what’s working” in Parkersburg took place Saturday, September 13th, 2014, on Juliana Street, at the Riverview Cemetery, one of the most beautiful and historic cemeteries in West Virginia.</div> <bR> <div> Several Troop 3 Scouts, leaders, parents, and volunteers showed up to support seventeen-year-old Grant Baranoski’s Eagle Scout project to make major repairs to the roof of the caretaker’s shed and restore the wrought iron fence around the Van Winkle plot after giving it a facelift. </div> <bR> <div>                 <IMG SRC="19090150.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="533" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <I>   Scouts and volunteers repairing roof on Riverside Cemetery caretaker shed.</I></div> <div> <I>Pictured L to R:  Mike Kinble, Scoutmaster Tom Dukas, Cory Stavarkis, </I></div> <div> <I>Alex Eckhart, and Ed Baranoski.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> “The repairs to the caretaker’s shed were complicated. The expertise of Mike Kimble, my high school shop teacher was especially helpful in getting this part of the project safely completed. I learned a lot today,” said Grant, whose troop meets at the nearby First Presbyterian Church. </div> <bR> <div> While one group was repairing the shed, a second group cleaned up the Van Winkle plot and then re-erected, wire brushed, and applied a fresh coat of paint to its wrought iron fence.</div> <bR> <div>      <IMG SRC="191e0800.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="640" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   </div> <div>         <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>Scouts repainting fence around Van Winkle plot in Riverside Cemetery</I></FONT></div> <div> <I> Pictured L to R: Clyde Harris II, Bill Peters, Isaiah Sidwell, and Jacob Valentine</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Mr. Van Winkle, interred in 1872, was one of the first United States Senators from West Virginia. He is famous for essentially ending his political career by casting a very unpopular tie-breaking vote against the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson in 1868.</div> <bR> <div> It has been reported that more of Wood County’s early distinguished citizens are buried here than in any other local cemetery.</div> <bR> <div> The troop’s newest member Isaiah Sidwell was impressed with the part he played in sprucing up the Van Winkle gravesite. “It feels good to make a difference,” he said.</div> <bR> <div> Cynthia Buskirk, a historian, and member of the Landmarks Commission, who is also on the cemetery caretaking committee, said the shed was in dire need of repairs because we’ve had four trees go down on, or around, that building in the past few years.</div> <bR> <div> “Since our funds are limited, I’m grateful for all the work the Scouts have done for us. They’ve been a big help and we appreciate it,” she said.</div> <bR> <div> Troop 3 Scoutmaster Tom Dukas said this project was part of the group’s continuing dedication to the community.</div> <bR> <div> “Scouting teaches its members to become good citizens by emphasizing how important it is to give back to their community. I’m proud of Grant and the results his group achieved today,” he said.</div> <bR> <div> Now that school is in session Troop 3 is excited about the new Scouting year and all the fun that is in store for the troop. </div> <bR> <div> Bill Peters, Troop Committee Chairman, said, “the troop is currently recruiting new members and we’d like to invite any interested 11-15 year-old boys, their friends, and parents, to attend our upcoming Open House and discover what Scouting in Troop 3 is all about?” </div> <bR> <div> The troop’s “Open House” will be held from 2-4:00 PM, Sunday, September 28th, at the Don B. Lowe Scout Building, located behind the First Presbyterian Church, at 1341 Juliana Street in Parkersburg. Leaders will be on hand to answer questions and discuss Scouting opportunities in Troop 3.</div> <bR> <div> Additional information is also available in a short video, “<A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What We Do"><U>What We Do</U></A>,” and an article titled, “<A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Join Our Adventure"><U>Join Our Adventure</U></A>,” on the troop’s website, <A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boy Scout Troop 3 in Parkersburg, West V"><U>troop3wv.org</U></A>.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Note: The above article was also published by the Parkersburg News and Sentinel, September 2014. Permission of use granted by the author.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>