(above) Tim McLaughlin, Mountainside VFW; Grant Garcia, Boy Scout & Project Lead; and his brother Brett Garcia.
Grant Garcia, a Mountainside resident and senior attending Governor Livingston High School, recently completed his Eagle Scout project which was to construct US Flag Retirement drop boxes. The boxes are now installed at both Borough Hall and the Library. The community is invited to deposit their unwanted flags in the boxes.
VFW Post 10136 Mountainside Memorial donated the funds to Grant for the project. Grant worked with his father and brother to accomplish both drop boxes. The VFW plans to partner with the local Boy Scouts to plan a flag retirement ceremony each June around Flag Day.
Grant had this to say about his project: “To attain the rank of Eagle Scout one of the most important requirements is “plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project.” When I sat down to plan my project I wanted to do something that would have a long lasting impact for our community. I looked to the ideas and issues that are really important for Mountainside and myself. I know that Mountainside has a strong tradition of supporting our veterans and upholding a patriotic spirit. The two flag drop off boxes that I constructed for my project embody this patriotic
spirit by allowing us to give our flags a proper send off. After you drop off your old flags at a box they will be collected and properly retired by the VFW and Scouts.”
