Dennis Hosken (left) of Springfield and Casey French (right) of Burke are members of Burke-based Boy Scout Troop 1965. They helped spread gravel to improve the trail that’s part of the Long Branch Stream Valley path. Photo by Tim Peterson.
On the morning of his service project, Carter Murray of Fairfax realized he’d forgotten a small but vital detail: Food.
It took two months to develop the project: shoring up sunken, well-worn trails of the Long Branch Stream Valley with special gravel provided by the Fairfax County Park Authority. Murray had to get the plans approved by the leadership of his Burke-based Boy Scout Troop 1965, the Boy Scouts of America Patriot District representative, as well as the County.
“I had to make sure all the aspects were covered,” he said. “I didn’t plan for lunch.”
At 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 22, the rising W.T. Woodson High School senior compiled a shopping list and “hit the Giant” grocery store. By the time volunteers arrived for a 9 a.m. kickoff at the Woodland Way entrance to the trail, he and his mother Aimee Murray had all the necessary supplies ready to feed the work force.
“He learned a lot in the last 24 hours,” said Aimee, whose family moved to the area a year and a half ago. The day before the project was complicated by a Woodson football practice which was postponed and extended into the evening. Carter lined up as an inside slot wide receiver in the Cavaliers’ spread offense.
Though her son had maturely made arrangements with the Friends of Long Branch Stream Valley nonprofit service organization and local civic and homeowners associations to drum up manpower, seeing it all pull together was still an experience.
“It’s been great,” Carter said.
“I’m really impressed with the community,” Aimee said, “and the amount of people who came from different areas and said, ‘We’re here to help.’ And all the people out on the trail on bikes and walking who’ve said thanks, or said where there’s another low spot.”
Alex Buchanan, of Annandale, was among local residents who came out to help with the project. His mother heard about it through the Stone Haven Civic Association, one of several Carter contacted. “We use the trail a lot,” Buchanan said.
The most difficult part of preparation, Carter said, was acquiring enough tools -- shovels, wheelbarrows and gravel-flattening tampers -- to go around. After contacting community members, other troops and his peers, Carter was able to gather enough to keep everyone busy.
When the Eagle Scout-hopeful was trying to conceive of a service project, one of the requirements to obtain the highest full rank in Boy Scouts, he got connected with Scott Thaxton of Annadale. Thaxton is vice president of the Friends of Long Branch Stream Valley, a nonprofit organization like several others in the area dedicated to maintaining and cleaning specific public trails, streams and the surrounding environment.
“We help support what the Park Authority can’t do, be a stopgap for them,” said Thaxton, who suggested the trail maintenance idea to Murray. Earlier this summer the Friends group received the Best of Braddock award for Club or Organization Making a Difference.
“They’ll dump the gravel,” Murray said, “but they have no manpower to spread the trail and maintain it.” The volunteers Murray organized worked on several stretches of trail, roughly 200 feet each.
Richard Russell of Burke is the assistant scoutmaster for Troop 1965. “You’ll be able to notice there’s a trail now with this,” he said. “It’s an exciting, good project, and lots of exercise.”
Younger scouts from Troop 1965 Dennis Hosken of Springfield and Casey French of Burke were also part of the effort. “We’re here for the service hours towards a rank,” Hosken said while the pair used rakes to spread gravel, “and to help with the community too.”
For more information about Friends of Long Branch Stream Valley, visit longbranchstream.weebly.com.