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Officials seek to finish launch
The 22-year-old was in his second tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed by an improvised explosive device.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Army Sgt. Allan Bevington could easily be found fishing along the Beaver River and was known for his love of the sport, according to his friends.
Shortly after the Beaver County man was killed in Iraq on Sept. 21, 2006, his brothers, Chuck and Bob, initiated a cause to have a boat launch built in his honor in Lawrence County.
They started collecting money and an account for donations was established at National City Bank. Last month, the Lawrence County Planning Commission applied for a $40,000 grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to assist in the project.
County officials explained that if the state approves the application and awards the planning commission the money, a portion of the funding would be available to help finish the construction of the Sgt. Allan Bevington Memorial Boat Launch. The launch is to be built along the Beaver River, near River Road, in Wayne Township, Lawrence County — Bevington’s favorite fishing spot.
“Allan spent most of his time along the river and this seemed like the right thing to do from the start,” said Kim Squires of Beaver Falls, Pa., a family friend helping with the project. “It was his favorite place to be, his favorite thing to be doing. Allan and his brothers. Being by the river and fishing was what he loved the most.”
Squires said when Bevington, also of Beaver Falls, was a kid he built his own makeshift raft, took it down the river and went fishing.
“Anytime we think of Allan, we think of the river,” she said. “You go along the river and you think of Allan. That’s just how it is. How it’s always been. Anyone who knew him knew that about him and they feel the same way.”
Bevington was in his second tour of duty in Iraq when, at the age of 22, he was killed by an improvised explosive device. He had been assigned to the 40th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, of the 1st Armored Division in Baumholder, Germany.
The fifth Beaver County resident to die while serving in Iraq, Bevington received a posthumous Bronze Star for battlefield valor.
The Bevington boat launch is one of several launches being planned for the county, explained Jay Russell of the Lawrence County Conservation District, which has been active in getting the project done. He said he expects work to begin on the Bevington launch in the fall. He said the county’s greenways plan released earlier this year calls for several launches to be built in the county.
Essentially, the state grant calls for a 100-percent county match, with the local $40,000 including a $5,000 grant from Pennsylvania-American Water Co., as well as from the county conservation district and funds raised by the Wampum Rod and Gun Club, of which Chuck Bevington of Ellport is a member.
Allan Bevington had also been a member of the club, which is based near the boat launch site. The launch is to be built on 1.3 acres, with spaces for 13 vehicles and boat trailers, or 26 vehicles. Russell said it will be handicapped accessible.
Donations for the boat launch project may be made to the A. Bevington account at National City.