Photo courtesy of the Village of Marble Cliff
It takes many people to make Marble Cliff the Village it is today, and a group of them comes from Boy Scout Troop 73 and Cub Scout Pack 28.
Scouting programs have regularly met at Boulevard Presbyterian Church since 1928 and sold Christmas trees by the Midas service building on Dublin Road for many years. Eagle Scout candidates have completed numerous Tarpy Woods improvements over the years. And for the last six springs, Scouts have gathered with family and friends at the trailhead in Tarpy Woods for four hours of intensive path mulching.
“In 2012, I read about the Village needing to renew the mulch in the park paths. So when I saw tree trimmers in the Village, I wondered if we could get wood chips at no cost,” says project coordinator Wiley Elliott, a Marble Cliff resident. “I contacted AEP and learned they would willingly dump the wood chips created by their right-of-way trimming at no charge. It would save AEP dumping fees and I had what I needed to mulch the trail. It was a win-win for all.”
Next, Elliott says, he had to find workers.
“I talked to Hal Schofield, former Scoutmaster and currently committee chairman for Troop 73. He agreed that the mulching project was a good one for his Scouts, ages 11-17. Scouts need community service hours to advance to higher Scouting ranks and also school awards,” he says. “This project had a definitive scope of work and time commitment, and participants could see the results right away. That would make getting volunteers easier.”
Greg Bergmann, current Scoutmaster, agrees.
“It’s been a popular project for our Scouts. They love to work outdoors, and it is an activity that can be worked into the busy schedules of today’s youth,” Bergmann says. “We keep the time commitment short so we don’t overwhelm people. We want it to be fun. The younger Scouts pick out the larger sticks and neaten the mulch, while the older Scouts and adults move and spread the mulch. It’s amazing how much we can get done in a short time.”
Both men say there have been few surprises throughout the process.
“The hardest part of organizing the job is picking a Saturday that fits in with all the school activities,” Elliott says. “Spring is best because the mulch, a mixture of pine and hardwoods, tends to be cleaner and the path needs the mulch after a long, wet winter. When we meet at the trailhead, we have a safety briefing, do stretching exercises and insist that no one does any strenuous lifting. We don’t want any injuries (pitchforks are not allowed). Mulch can be very heavy. We’ve found that wheelbarrows move mulch better than pulling tarpaulins. Everyone brings tools to make the job easier, especially Hal Schofield, whose tools and annual participation have been instrumental to the long-term success of this endeavor.”
Elliott and Bergmann concluded by saying, “This service project shows what can be done when the dots are connected. There was an opportunity to get mulch for free and create a service activity that is fun and rewarding. Everyone gets a real sense of accomplishment. We start with a mountain of mulch, and after four sweaty, dirty hours of hard work, end with a product that Village residents and park visitors enjoy and appreciate. That makes it all worthwhile.”
Bill Johannes is administrative assistant for the Village of Marble Cliff. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
