Cemetery transformed through Eagle Scout project

DOUBLE SPRINGS - A project developed to better recognize the graves of veterans buried at Double Springs Memorial Cemetery by creating the town’s first memorial honoring all veterans, has been personal to each person who participated.
The project also earned Eagle Scout status for Noah Blevins, 14, a member of Double Springs Boy Scout Troop 92, and a student at Double Springs Middle School.

When Blevins’ grandfather, Sam Taylor,  a U.S. Air Force veteran who served from 1961-1965, was buried at the cemetery, Blevins had an idea to recognize all of the veterans buried there, as well as help beautify the cemetery.
“After he was buried, all of the veterans’ graves, we didn’t really know where all of them are,” Blevins pointed out.
“When he was looking around the cemetery, he noticed that some of the veterans’ foot stones were covered with grass,” added Noah’s father, Jeremy Blevins, who is also a veteran and helped with the project. “We wanted the cemetery cleaned off so they (the military markers on veterans’ graves) can be readable.”
As the idea developed, Blevins approached Greg Farris, a member of the Double Springs Memorial Cemetery committee, for ideas and assistance.
The project was also quite personal to Farris, whose father, Billy Farris, a U.S. Army veteran, is also buried at the cemetery.
Billy Farris served in the Army National Guard around 38 years, passed away in 2008, Greg said, recalling his father served during the Korean War.
“I think it’s extremely meaningful to have a memorial to a family member, especially a father who was in service,” Farris emphasized. “I think it does so much for the cemetery itself.
“It added a really big highlight to the cemetery and to all veterans who are buried there,” Greg added.