Eagle Scout project completed for holiday

Staff report

NEW MIDDLETOWN

Jarrett Orbin of Boy Scout Troop 119, 15, of New Springfield, recently completed his Eagle Scout project, a brick walkway to the Veterans Memorial in time for the New Middletown annual Memorial Day observance.

The walkway was dedicated after the New Middletown Memorial Day Parade that ended at the Springfield Local High School stadium.

Jarrett is the second Orbin brother to make work on the Veterans Memorial an Eagle Scout project.

About a year ago, Jarrett’s older brother, Sebastian, made it his Eagle Scout project to relocate the Veterans Memorial from Springfield Elementary School, which was to be demolished, to the Springfield Local High School Stadium in New Middletown on state Route 170.

Jarrett noticed that the new Veterans Memorial lacked a stable walkway, making it difficult for visitors with canes or walkers to observe the memorial safely, said his father, Jeff Orbin.

The Springfield High School junior approached Tom Yazvac, schools superintendent, who approved Jarrett’s proposal. The next phase of the project was raising money.

Jarrett spoke to numerous community civic and religious organizations and met with area business owners to raise money for the project offering bricks to be inscribed honoring local veterans and installed as part of the walkway.

Jarrett sold about 70 bricks raising about $3,500, enough to pay for the sidewalk and to donate to community organizations, VFW Post 2799 in New Springfield and the Springfield Food Pantry.

To complete the project, Jarrett, in partnership with Ventling Memorials of Austintown, learned the process required to prepare and inscribe all of his bricks.

“This was definitely a hands-on project during which he learned sandblasting and paver installation,” his father said.

Jarrett resides in New Springfield with his father and stepmother, Amy, and younger brother, Liam.

He plays trumpet in the school’s concert, marching and pep bands, and is a member of the varsity baseball team and the Ohio Glaciers summer traveling baseball team. Jarrett is a member of Freedom Church in New Middletown.