Assabet Valley JROTC Targets Evergreen Cemetery

What started out as an Eagle Scout project for one Assabet Valley student from Marlborough, Jason Slocum, turned into a full-fledged foot stone overhaul as the school’s JROTC units carried out a mission. “I’ve been in scouting since about first grade, and I am currently awaiting the Board of Review’s word on my project for Eagle Scout. I had intended to spend two days with some fellow scouts to work on raising and repairing footstones in the Evergreen Cemetery in Marlborough. Many of them had been sinking down really deep so you couldn’t even see them anymore, and I thought it would be a good way to help the families of these individuals. When my JROTC group heard about it, they offered to help, too. What was supposed to be just one weekend turned into two, as the second weekend my battalion wanted to finish the area we’d started and even repair a few of the old historical headstones that had begun to lean.” Slocum, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Randolph P. Mann, Chief Petty Officer, Navy (retired) Neil Mansfield, and many in the school’s battalion did indeed take advantage of the good weather to finish the project. “Opportunities like this are perfect for the cadets to stay involved in community service and leadership training. It was a great couple of days out there,” added Mann.

Members in photo are as follows:

Chief Petty Officer Neil Mansfield, Cadet/Sergeant Jacob Stevens, Marlborough, Cadet/Sergeant Devon Szretter, Hudson, Cadet/Private Michael Fossile, Marlborough, Cadet/Sergeant Matthew Gray, Clinton, Cadet/Private Nicholas Miranda, and Cadet/Private Alejandro Asencio, both from Marlborough, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Randolph P. Mann.

Back row, Cadet Sergeant Matthew George, West Boylston, Cadet/Sergeant Jeffrey Dean, Marlborough, Cadet/ 2nd Lieutenant Brian Bomarsi, Northborough, Cadet/Staff Sergeant Jennelle Gadowski, West Boylston, Cadet/Corporal Kevin Perry, Marlborough, Cadet/1st Lieutenant Jason Slocum, Marlborough, Cadet/1st Lieutenant Kevin Palardy, Cadet/2nd Lieutenant Matthew Beane, both from Marlborough, and Cadet/Gunnery Sergeant John Landroche, from Westborough