By Max Bowen-max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
At Monday’s Town Council meeting, Troop 33 Scout Joshua Shockley was recognized for the restoration of the stone steps at Grace Episcopal Church that he and other Scouts did last summer.
Shockley was also given a certificate of recognition by State Rep. Adam Scanlon (D-North Attleborough). The work was done as part of Shockley’s Eagle Scout project.
“You have demonstrated that our youth has a place in our community,” said Scanlon. “It shows how you can lift up the community.”
Shockley decided on the church for his 2021 Eagle Scout project after speaking with Rick Mabie, a mason who restores damaged sites. Mabie had done some work on the steps in 2020, and suggested that completing it would be a good project. Shockley said he looked at other churches, but found the repairs needed were either too much for his group or too little.
“I felt this church had a good amount of work that could be done, so that’s why I chose it,” said Shockley last June.
Shockley has been a Scout since he was 6 and that his father—also an Eagle Scout—inspired him to join.
Working with other Scouts, Shockley cleaned the sand in between the paving stones in the church’s walkway and powerwashed each of them. They then used Gator Sand—used in patios and decks—around the stones.
The bulk of the work was for the front steps. Over the years, the mortar has become so corroded that some of the steps were unsafe to use. The Scouts and Mabie cleaned the steps, filled in the gaps with mortar, and checked under them to see what damage had to be addressed. The team worked over two weekends to complete the project.
