Springdale, Oakmont Scouts plant flags at Harmar cemetery for Memorial Day

Boy Scout Alexander Fugate walked up to the grave of Joseph S. Senti, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and died in 1970, and replaced a slightly tattered U.S. flag Sunday with a fresh one.

On a sun-splashed morning, Fugate then walked a few more steps and did the same for Karl Tomiczak, a U.S. Army corporal who served in the Koran War and died in 2012.

“I’m helping the community by putting these flags on graves,” said Fugate, 10, of Cheswick, an Acmetonia Elementary School sixth grader and Boy Scout with Troop 854 out of Oakmont. “It’s respect for them.”

Fugate was joined Sunday morning in Harmar’s Deep Creek Cemetery by his parents and two brothers — Colton, 5, and Lukas, 9, both Cub Scouts in Pack 554 out of Springdale — for the annual planting and replacement of American flags in advance of Memorial Day.

Cubmaster Chris Fugate said the local tradition is simple but means a lot to cemetery passersby and surviving veterans, as well as the Scouts.

“We’ve been doing this for as long as we’ve been in the pack, at least five years,” said Fugate, 40, of Cheswick, who walked the grounds with a plastic wagon filled with hundreds of 12-inch by 18-inch U.S. flags. “We’ve been an active pack, and this is one of the things we like to do for the community.”

The Fugate boys’ great-grandfather — Richard Hood, 100, of Murrysville — served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.

For Hood, who did not attend Sunday, the Scout’s tradition also is simple — but means a lot.

“He appreciates it, he loves that we all do this,” said Fugate, as his wife, Jill, 41, grabbed more U.S. flags from the wagon. “He loves that they’re all in Scouts — it’s a great organization.

“They all interact with him, and they all know he served.”

Typically, about 20 Scouts, some from Springdale and some from Oakmont, turn out to plant or replenish the American flags, Fugate said. But turnout Sunday was smaller than expected after plans to place the flags Saturday were postponed by rain. On Tuesday, they’ll do the same thing in Springdale Cemetery.

“Here! Here!” shouted Colton as he spotted the medal medallion indicating military service in front of the brownish marble grave of Theodore J. Guzy — born 1924, died 1953.

“My kids love doing this,” Fugate said.