Memorial Garden revived for Veterans Day
By Mary Pritchard Contributing Writer

Westborough - Bob Pond and Matt Spring, both of Westborough, take a tour of the refurbished Veterans Memorial Garden at the Westborough Senior Center. The garden is to be rededicated Nov. 9. See story at right. PHOTO/MARY PRITCHARD

Westborough - As Veterans Day approaches, citizens around the country remember and honor the sacrifices and service of U.S. veterans. One local veteran is thankful for the eff orts of a Westborough High School student who has worked to bring a lasting tribute to veterans back to life.

In June 1995, the Westborough Veterans Memorial Garden was created by the VFW 9013 Ladies Auxiliary beside the Westborough Senior Center. Several years ago, Bob Pond, a veteran who served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps, began caring for, and adding some of his favorite flowers to the space. Three years ago, Pond's gardening came to a halt after a slip on ice resulted in a broken hip. As Pond recovered from his injury, the garden went unattended to for two years.

Matt Spring 16, a member of Boy Scout Troop 4 in Westborough, was looking into potential ideas for his Eagle Scout project.

"Re-doing the Veterans Garden at the Senior Center stood out because I wanted to do something that was lasting and important, something that would be there for a while and would make a significant contribution to the community," Spring said. "I led my crews of workers and instructed them on what we would do and how to do it. Our work included weeding, removing anything that was dead, removing the existing path, installing a walkway, planting shrubs, perennials and annuals, mulching the garden, and putting in a bench."

Pond and Spring, who now share a common bond through the garden, met for the fist time on a September afternoon. Pond shared some of his experiences in his military service, his life

" and his caring for the garden, and Spring gave Pond a tour of the updated garden as they talked about the garden.

"I thought that it was very interesting to meet Bob and find out about his life and talk with him about the garden," Spring said. "It was nice to see where the roots of the garden lay and to see how much the improvement of the garden meant to him. He is a very nice man and a great person to listen to with all of his incredible stories."

Pond, 91, is very pleased with the garden.

"The garden had no real fixed plan or footprint on the ground. Somebody had to dress it up and Matt did a remarkable job," Pond said. "Matt has put a foundation in place which will allow anyone to come in and care for the garden."

"Without the support and kindness of everyone who helped me on my project, I would never have been able to complete it," Spring said.

Spring plans to attend a dedication of the garden Friday Nov. 9 that will be held in conjunction with a catered Veterans Luncheon at the Senior Center. Tickets are $6 and are available at the Senior Center and the Veteran's Office at the Forbes Municipal Building. All are welcome.