Wanted: Student names for Huff'n'Puff memorial

Twenty-four years ago, a teenage Abe Gardner as an Eagle Scout project led a campaign to create a memorial to Shelton-area students who died young.

Today, Gardner - an emergency prevention specialist with North Mason Regional Fire Authority - is seeking permission from families to add the names to the two-sided memorial at the entrance to the trail across the street from Shelton High School. No names have been added since 2014. Interested families can contact him at 360-801-9555.

In 1996 or 1997, Gardner said he got the idea when he was 14 or 15 years old from listening to stories about members of his class who died before graduation. Most died from illnesses or car accidents, he said.

"I started thinking it would be neat to commemorate those we lost too soon," he said.

Gardner asked residents for names, and raised the money for the memorial, a three-year process. Residents donated $5,000 in cash, supplies and labor. After considering sites in downtown Shelton, the City of Shelton gave him the site at its Huff'n'Puff Trail, close to four schools.

"It's a process I'll never forget ... It was super rewarding," he said.

Gardner asked the permission of the families of the late students.

"Not all families were comfortable or ready to put their loved ones on the memorial," he said.

Gardner is again asking for permission to place more names on the memorials.

"The last thing I want is for families to be uncomfortable with it," he said.

The Shelton Rotary Club recently adopted the Huff'n'Puff Trail to support its maintenance and use.

"In the spring of 2023, our club was looking to identify a local service project that would be significant and meaningful locally," club member Kristin French wrote to the Journal. "At that time, myself and a number of other longtime residents of our areas were becoming concerned about issues we were observing at the Huff'n'Puff, in terms of trail maintenance, trash all over, extreme potholing in the parking area, poor maintenance of the student memorial area, graffiti and negative behaviors/safety issues that were deterring longtime users from using the trail anymore. Many of us have very meaningful memories of trail use dating back to our days as students in the Shelton school system."

The first efforts included meetings with the City of Shelton, its police department, the club, the Shelton School District and Gardner, French wrote.

"We mapped out goals and priorities, and the cooperation and support from all was the key to getting the project off to a good start," she wrote.

Everyone is welcome to join Shelton Rotary Club members as they clean up the trail and the memorial area at least twice a month, usually from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturdays. For the dates, check out the activity calendar on the club's website.