Silver Award Girl Scout, Chloé Ruest

Farm Brook Trail Benches

Chloé likes walking along a trail system in her community, Farm Brook Trails, that is used year-round for hiking and snowshoeing. Chloé observed that a lot of older and elderly people use the trails, especially in the winter months, and that they were having difficulty due to accessibility. Chloé learned that many people had to put on their snowshoes in the icy parking lot while holding onto their vehicles, which was not very safe for the older snowshoers. Chloé decided that the best way to address this issue for the community was to build and install a series of benches throughout the trail for her Silver Award project.

Chloé worked with local hardware and lumber stores to determine the most effective and durable design of the benches, spending time researching different materials including wood, hardware, and stains that would hold up to the frigid and snowy Maine winters. The benches were strategically placed along the trails so that people could sit and put on their snowshoes without the fear of slipping or so that people could simply sit down if they were feeling tired or needed a break.

In addition to the benches, Chloé installed signs by them stating their purpose. She also installed log-books on the benches which allowed her to assess how many people were using the benches and the impact that her project was having. Chloé has received requests from others to build similar benches for them and is most excited about the impact her project is having on the community.

When asked what she learned through her project, Chloé says “things take time. It will not be completed in a weekend. I learned that I can do it, just give it a try.”