Portland Cemetery Cleanup
October 29, 2023
Eight Junior and Cadette Girl Scouts from Troop 1061 rose to the occasion this October, putting their groundskeeping skills to work at the Grand Trunk Cemetery in Portland.
Marianne Chapman, a lifetime member, and previous troop leader who often volunteers with Girl Scouts on local community activities, assisted with the cleanup alongside her husband.
“Machigonne Service Unit adopted the Grand Trunk Cemetery in 2015 as an ongoing service project. Twice a year, in the fall and spring, Girl Scouts and their families are invited to participate in a cleanup and planting party,” says Chapman.
The cemetery maintenance and preservation began as a Bronze Award project, later growing into a completed Gold Award project in 2011 for three Machigonne Girl Scouts.
The cemetery, which dates back to the 1740’s, has suffered from significant vandalism and desecration in the past, so the cleanup has an extra special impact and meaning for this generation of Girl Scouts and volunteers. During the most recent cleanup, participants planted over 200 flower bulbs, and filled countless bags with leaves, brush, and debris.
“For me, this event is an opportunity to work with a new crop of Girl Scouts who continue a legacy of my former Girl Scouts. It also affords a teachable moment for me to share a bit of history of the cemetery,” says Chapman.
