WWI veterans honored anew

Grayson Collins, 17, a member of Boy Scout Troop 72, right, looks over his Eagle Scout Project where he restored an historic World War I fountain, with Bill Rodriguez the division head of Ocala Recreation and Parks, center, and James Carsey, left, a city of Ocala worker who restored the flowing water of the fountain, before a dedication ceremony for the fountain at Tuscawilla Park in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

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Posted August 2, 2023 | By Susan Smiley-Height, [email protected]

Undertaking the renovation of a monument at Tuscawilla Park that is dedicated to veterans of World War I was a bit more of a challenge than Grayson Collins expected. But the industrious teenager soldiered on and the result has more than met his own expectations, as well as those of others.

Grayson, 17, a member of Boy Scout Troop 72, embarked on the renovation as a qualifying project in his bid to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, which is Scouting’s highest honor. He said he decided to pursue becoming an Eagle Scout because, “not only does it look good on applications, it’s useful for life.”

According to scouting.org, a new research study shows that Eagle Scouts are more likely to have higher levels of planning and preparation skills, be goal-oriented, network well with others, assume leadership positions and work with others to improve their community.

Grayson spent about seven months on his project, which involved securing permission, raising funds, recruiting volunteers and working with area professionals, including several with Ocala’s Recreation and Parks Department.

The revitalized monument, which includes a water fountain feature, was rededicated on Aug. 2, under a bright morning sun with several officials, family members, fellow Scouts and well-wishers in attendance.

According to Ashley Dobbs, the city’s marketing and communications manager, “the World War I Commemorative Fountain was first dedicated in 1927 by Judge J.C.B. Koonce. The fountain underwent a previous restoration in 1997 by Troop 440 Boy Scouts of America and Ocala V.F.W.”

A newly installed plaque, which contains that information, adds: “Second Restoration in 2023 by Grayson Collins of Troop 72 B.S.A., the City of Ocala and Generous Friends.”

Grayson, a rising senior at Forest High School, has been involved in Scouting for about 10 years. In order to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, the Scout must accomplish several objectives, including a project of benefit to the community. Collins considered a couple of different options before settling on the monument restoration.

“Some guys in our troop had built things from the ground up, but I saw this, and I jumped at it. I saw the way it was looking, and I wasn’t thrilled, so I thought, I can probably do something to make this look decently better. My vision was getting it out of disrepair and into functionality, and I think we succeeded,” he said.

Grayson worked closely with Ocala Parks and Recreation team members, including Parks Division Head Bill Rodriquez and Irrigation Specialist James Carsey. The work included pressure washing the monument, cementing stones into place, restoring the fountain and replacing a broken concrete eagle statue on the top with one cast in bronze.

“It took a lot of time, and lots of contacts,” Grayson said. “I talked to James a lot, and Bill, and I had to contact stone masons and electricity people and do fundraising. We had to get donations for the eagle on top, which is solid bronze, and to cast that was pretty expensive.”

He said an added challenge was getting the fountain operational.

“We started out thinking we would put something visually instead of having to go inside and get it actually running,” he said. “But I worked with James doing plumbing, putting in PVC, connecting pipes to pipes, connecting the tank. I had to become familiar with the timing system. It was a lot of new stuff I had never interacted with but was interested in learning.”

Carsey said the original lines to the water fountain had been “abandoned.”

“I had to install everything new. I had to track down the irrigation meter and add in back flow and run about 300 feet of pipe. Grayson helped install the regulator, valves, wiring and the irrigation. Everything on the inside of the fountain, I did all that work, the technical stuff. It took about 100 hours to get it installed. There will be some maintenance, typically about once a week,” Carsey said.

In viewing the work ahead of the public event, Rodriquez, a U.S. Army veteran, said he had been working for more than two years to have the project done but prior efforts fizzled out. He said he has experience working with other Eagle Scout endeavors and felt working with Grayson would be a good fit.

“What he delivered is absolutely phenomenal. As a veteran, I take pride in it, and I think that for our community and as an anchor for the south end of Tuscawilla Park, it is a great addition,” said Rodriquez.

The monument features wood and steel benches that were donated by the city and assembled by Grayson, his father, and the father of a friend. They rest upon concrete pads installed by the city, which are surrounded by a bed of new gravel. The back of the monument has beautiful plants that fan out around the perimeter.

Among those in the audience for the dedication ceremony were Grayson’s parents, Chuck and Mary Anne Collins, and brother Cash, 16, also a Boy Scout, and who also plans to pursue the rank of Eagle.

One special attendee was Jean “Nana Jean” King, who has known the Collins family for a number of years.

“She helped raise these boys,” said Mary Anne Collins.

Sandy Clardy, the Scoutmaster for Troop 72, has known Grayson for about three years and also was on hand. Clardy has substantial experience in working with Eagle Scouts.

“The troop, if my count is correct, has had 87 Eagle Scouts, and me personally, probably three-quarters of those since I stated in 1980,” he shared.

Of the work Grayson did on the monument, Clardy said, “It’s a good cleanup. It needed it.”

Chuck Collins said he was only a Boy Scout for one year as a youngster but then was a Cubmaster for six years.

“I was the leader of the pack’s Cub Scout program and I’m proud to say several carried on to earn Eagle. I continued in this role until my younger son Cash, now 16, went into Boy Scouts. As Grayson and Cash moved into Boy Scouts, I thought it important that they learn from other adults as this deepened their respect for leaders and allowed them to build confidence in themselves on their own,” he said.

“Grayson has a couple of more housekeeping items to take care of, but the requirements are complete (for Eagle Scout),” Chuck Collins added. “His mother and I are very proud of him. This rank is obtained by fewer than 9% of all scouts and years of dedication to the program are required. Grayson has approached Scouting with a good attitude and has followed through with what he knew he had to do. His mother was the driving force behind Grayson being to this point. Without her constant encouragement over the past several years, he would not be where he is today. He has matured during his time in Scouting, and it has been a pleasure to watch him grow into the young man he has become. The accomplishment is a really big deal, and we are looking forward to his Eagle Scout Court of Honor when he is formally awarded the rank.”

Following graduation from high school, Grayson said he plans to go to college with a focus in “sports science, like physical therapy, something to do with kinesiology or something like that. I love sports. I play lacrosse at school.”

In addressing those gathered on Wednesday, he offered thanks to a great number of people, and “my donors. We were able to raise about $9,700, and I’m very proud of that. I thank Stokes Electric, the city of Ocala and Brantley Irrigation, and James and Bill, with whom I worked most of the time. James provided me with hands-on experience and Bill provided us with a vision.”

As for the future of the monument, he said, “I hope it will stay this way for a long time before anyone else has to do it again.”