Marblehead Boy Scout organizes veterans grave cleanup project

MARBLEHEAD – The veterans’ section at Waterside Cemetery looked a lot better on Memorial Day because of a local Boy Scout and his volunteer team.Marblehead Boy Scout Tim Tufts received a round of applause Wednesday for his Eagle Scout project: uncovering a portion of the town’s history by cleaning the lichen off 106 veterans’ tombstones.Tufts is a Marblehead High junior. He joined Scouting as a Cub Scout nearly 10 years ago. He is a member of Troop 11, which meets at St. Stephen’s Church.”Those old headstones developed a coating of lichen,” said Selectman Harry Christensen, “and you couldn’t read the names of the veterans or their service records. It’s a wonderful thing.”Tufts wrote a proposal for his project to “improve the cemetery,” and got it signed off by Scoutmaster Marianne Baker and Cemetery Superintendent William James, along with the Yankee Clipper Council. He was assisted by Troop 11’s committee chair and Eagle Scout advisor, Scott Freeto.”This was a way to honor the veterans for giving us freedom,” he told the selectmen. “It’s a small way of paying them back.” He gave the board before and after photos of some of the headstones.Tufts and his volunteers used soft-bristle brushes, cleansing powder, plastic scrapers and water on the marble headstones. It took about an hour for each one.”The first row was in the worst condition. We started with those,” Tufts said.