Visitors to Webster Union Cemetery on Webster Rd. will soon have a beautiful and tranquil new place to rest and reflect, thanks to the hard work of Eagle Scout candidate DaniLee Phillips from Scouts BSA Troop 425.
Over the past several weeks, Dani and a team of dedicated volunteers have been building a memorial garden tucked along the west side of the cemetery’s main building. Once completed, the space will feature a 12-by-12-foot patio shaded by a pergola and surrounded by flowers and shrubs. Benches and a fountain will help create a peaceful, reflective atmosphere.
The garden is both easy to find and thoughtfully set back to offer privacy. Dani worked closely with cemetery staff to choose the ideal location. “Here, it’s visible,” she explained, “but it’s hidden from Route 250, so that creates some privacy.”
The idea for the garden took root nearly a year ago, when Dani first proposed the project during the cemetery’s 200th anniversary celebration last August.
“It was a long process,” she said. “I had a lot of ideas, but I knew I wanted to do some kind of remembrance project. I chose this garden because I thought it would be a nice little touch.”
Construction began about three weeks ago. With help from family members, fellow Scouts and their parents, Dani led two major work parties that completed the patio and pergola. The final touches — planting the flowers and bushes and installing the fountain — are all that remain.
The project has also benefited from generous community support. Lowe’s in Webster offered a significant discount on the pergola materials, RT Masters donated all the pavers and deeply discounted bench delivery, and Thomas Landscaping is providing the flowers and shrubs at a steep discount.
Dani recently graduated from Webster Thomas High School and will soon head to Susquehanna University to study history. Scouts BSA Troop 425, based at Webster Presbyterian Church, is Webster’s first all-girls troop.
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(posted 7/30/2025)
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