Mathieu Gokas works on his Eagle Scout project of washing the gravestones of World War II veterans at Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn. Photo by Paula Muller
By Leah Dearborn
LYNN— Pine Grove Cemetery got a good cleaning this weekend thanks to Mathieu Gokas, 17, who organized the cleaning of more than 500 veterans’ gravestones to meet the service requirement for his Eagle Scout application.
Gokas said the project was inspired by his grandfather, Alphonse A. Gokas, a World War II veteran who died last year.
“I wanted to show respect for him,” said Gokas, who grew up listening to his grandfather’s stories about taking part in the invasion of Normandy. “He never gave up. With all that they did to serve our country, this was the least I could do.”
His mother, Mary Gokas, spent the morning at the cemetery and he got a hand from volunteers, including Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development youth program. members. The volunteers used an environmentally-friendly solution called D/2 to clean decades-worth of dirt and algae off the stones.
Gokas is one of four members of his troop aiming for the rank of Eagle Scout. Fellow scout John Essler, who recently completed his own project building picnic tables in Lynn Woods, said that doing something for the community felt great.
Karen Lawless, advancement chair for the troop, said the projects are a way for scouts to develop leadership skills that they can transfer into future careers.
Gokas said the cleaning process Saturday into an interactive history lesson with each stone revealing a glimpse into the life and service of a veteran. Gokas said he is interested in joining the U.S. Air Force or Navy.
Andrew King, Gokas’ arboriculture teacher from Essex Technical High School, also turned out to help scrub a few stones.
“This was all him,” said King when asked if he helped Gokas plan any part of the project. “That’s the great thing about an Eagle Scout project…It’s cool seeing the leader that he’s becoming.”
