JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Ethan Devore, a member of Marion County’s Troop 5 Scouts for Scouting America, has recently helmed a major project dedicated to the rehabilitation of Jasper’s McMillan Park, located just beside Carolyn Stewart Public Library.
A local resident and scout member of the Jasper community, Devore explained the project first began on both a personal note and as a member of the county’s Troop 5 Scouts after noticing the park’s relative disrepair. He explained how years prior while growing up in Illinois, he attended Story Time events at a park similar to McMillian Park. Years later, and realizing the park’s debilitated condition, he felt action was needed to be taken. This led him and Troop 5 Scoutmaster Laromie Boyd to reach out to Carolyn Stewart Library Director Ann Gray about potentially revitalizing McMillan Park.
“Driving past that every day, I was very much like ‘I wonder if they do anything out there?’,” said Devore. “So that’s what kind of started it.”
The project itself centered around the complete rehabilitation of the park’s gazebo, picnic tables, bushes, and the light posts situated within its grounds, alongside the removal of the old trash cans. Both the gazebo and benches in particular received major overhauls in style, requiring pressure washing and the use of water sealant prior to the final touches with paint. As for the light posts, they’ve received full repainting on the poles and cleaning within the light globes, further cementing new life into McMillan Park.
“We didn’t fully tear down the gazebo and rebuilt it,” said Devore. “We kept the original bones of it, but we went in with OxiClean and a pressure washer and we sprayed a little bit of OxiClean on it and pressured washed it.”
With the help of friends and volunteers, Devore’s Scout project helped bring color and life back to McMillan Park within Jasper. To Devore, the project meant much to him, with Scouting America opening the door to take on new projects involving community service. Boyd noted as Scoutmaster, having projects such as Devore’s helps allow the community scouts to become further involved with area as a whole, a responsibility he feels the county can provide to local youths.
“One of our biggest things that we try to encourage is community service,” said Boyd. “Projects like this give us a chance for our youth to get involved in community service.”
During Jasper’s most recent city meeting, Gray remarked on the work conducted at the park to the town’s Board of Mayor & Aldermen, noting how the park now looks properly clean and well maintained to the eye for all to see. She also praised Devore and all the volunteers involved for doing a great job of bringing the park back to its former glory, ensuring McMillan Park’s newest look can be enjoyed by all who visit the library.
“It looks good and the park will once again become a destination for many of our library patrons,” said Gray. “We greatly appreciate the hard work of Ethan and Boy Scout Troop 5.”
For those interested in signing up for Marion County’s Troop 5 Scouts, Laramie Boyd can be contacted at 423-504-6283, and at satchero@gmail.com
Photo by Shirley Alder