For Neshaminy High School freshman Dylan Beegal, the bench she constructed at Detective Christopher Jones Memorial Park means much more than the Girl Scout Silver Award she received for completing it.
When Beegal, 15, heard about the 2016 passing of her peer, 13-year-old Patrick Gannon, she decided to build a bench at the Middletown park in his memory.
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“The bench was built to be a memorial for all of his family and close friends,” Beegal said.
The memorial bench is situated in the park of Maple Avenue and surrounded by native wild flowers to bring a sense of peace and tranquility to the space, Beegal said. The bench was installed in early October 2017.
The project took the Girl Scout about two months to complete.
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After preparing for the project, building the bench took roughly 72 hours and installing it took about four, Beegal said.
For Beegal, the bench represents both accomplishment and relief.
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“I felt accomplished because I built the bench and I knew that the very bench that I made myself will make someone really happy one day while they are walking through the park. The relief aspect came from the fact that it was finally done, and that I felt that now my peers and I have a place that will remind us of [Patrick],” Beegal said.
“Although I didn’t know him well, his sudden passing left a huge impact on me. The fact that a person’s life could end so quickly and that it could be someone I saw almost everyday scared me more than anything. I realized that I wanted to try to make a place for everyone to come and be able to mourn him peacefully,” the high schooler said.
Putting together a project like the bench would not have been possible without support. Home Depot provided things like pallets, screws, stain, and brushes. Bowman Hill Wildflower Preserve donated flowers and bushes and aided Beegal in deciding what plants would best serve the wildlife of the park and the people who visit it. Beegal’s father Bruce was her biggest supporter, she said.
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“My entire family was so supportive, and I couldn’t be more thankful that I have their continued support through all of my future endeavors,” she said.
Beegal received the Silver Award at Middletown Township’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting on February 20.
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