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Suburban News & Hamlin-Clarkson Herald.
September 10, 2017
Issue No. 37
www.westsidenewsny.com
DISTRIBUTED TO CLARKSON, HAMLIN AND KENDALL
Eagle Scout project leaves lasting mark for Spencerport/Ogden Donovan Berbeneciuc completed the project in late August. “We have gone through a lot of IbuproA very special project is taking shape at the historic Colby/Pulver House in fen,” he, his mom, Renee, and Jean Colby joke. Ogden. “It was a life-changing experience,” DonoSeventeen-year old Donovan Berbeneciuc, a senior at Spencerport High van observes of the project. “I learned a lot School, spent the summer working with about leadership and what it’s like to run his family, members and leaders from Boy a project.” He says his scout leader Brian Olmstead Scout Troop 04, Ogden, and members of the Ogden Historical Society, to construct (Bill Sweetland is an assistant leader of the an impressive dry-stacked stone wall on Troop) suggested the stone wall as a possithe east side of the Colby/Pulver House bility for an Eagle Scout project. Donovan loves history and Museum on Colby was drawn to the Steet. The stone project because of wall serves as the fact he would be Donovan’s Eagle doing something for Scout project. a local museum. The wall will “It’s a really neat anchor a daylily thing to do,” he display garden says, “to help out a that Ogden Hismuseum.” Donovan torical Society says the stone wall member Jean project was also a Colby says will way to repay Scout include dozens leader Chuck Colby, of varieties of “for all he gave me historic as well as cutting edge Eagle Scout Donovan Berbeneciuc inspects the in Scouting.” The project ended daylilies. south end of the stone wall at the Colby/Pulver “Our goal is to House. He says he received numerous “granite up being a bigger become one of the kisses” - pinched fingers and hands - during con- task than anyone had imagined. few historic daystruction of the wall for his Eagle Scout project. Jean Colby prolily display garvided details redens,” she says. K. Gabalski photo. garding the con“In order for that to happen, we must have 50 daylilies struction: Dan Pearl of Natural Stone in our garden that were hybridized and Works provided a beginning workshop to teach the correct building methods; it is a registered prior to 1970.” Daylilies were chosen for featuring dry-build stone wall with no cement, morin the garden because for more than 20 tar or glue. The wall is held together by years, the bright summer blossoms have the weight of the stones and friction which been the official flower of the Town of is created by having every rock touching Ogden and the Village of Spencerport, another rock on 80 percent of its surface. Each linear foot of the wall has 1 to 1 1/2 Colby explains. The stone wall makes a stunning addi- tons of rock. The base is 3 1/2 feet wide, tion to the Colby/Pulver House grounds. tapering to 1 1/2 feet at the top. Seventy It is five feet high and 50 feet long and tons of rock was provided for the wall by Colby Homestead Farms. Jean Colby says includes steps near one end. by Kristina Gabalski
Jean Colby and Donovan Berbeneciuc place additional stones on the wall at the historic Colby/Pulver House. All stones were gathered from fields at Colby Farms and transported to the site. Colby says the rocks are a mix of different materials including granite, Medina sandstone and shale. Jean is standing on the steps which cut into the wall and lead to the house. K. Gabalski photo.
Ogden Eagle Scout Donovan Berbeneciuc stands next to the stone wall at the Colby/Pulver House which he built as his Eagle Scout project. The stone wall will serve as the backdrop for a daylily display garden planned by the Ogden Historical Society. K. Gabalski photo. the rocks were taken from farm fields. “The wall has required much more time and effort than I imagined,” she explains. “Overwhelming at times, but we keep working because it will provide an awesome background for the daylily display gardens.” Elaine Berner, an Ogden Historical Society member who is responsible for the gardens at the Colby/Pulver House, has been a driving force for the stone wall/daylily project. “By starting with help from Dan Pearl, an expert dry-build stone waller, the Town of Ogden will have a beautiful natural stone wall at their Colby/Pulver House for years to come ... a photo destination,” Berner says. “My favorite part of building the wall with the Boy Scouts and their families and other community members is that Colby Homestead Farms has brought this project full circle to add to the house Eastman Colby built in 1811.” Donovan’s family, including his stepdad, Jason Batz, mom Renee, and 14-year old brother Brayden, all helped with the stone wall construction. Renee says she is, “very proud,” of what Donovan has accomplished and the family hopes to continue to help with the project. The first day they worked a full eight hours, but Renee says they quickly realized the nature of the work required shorter work days. Evenings became the preferred time to work in shorter sessions of a few hours. Members of Boy Scout Troop 04 and their families (including some engineer dads) faithfully helped the project along all summer, Renee and Donovan say. “There was a job for everybody.” Jean Colby, Renee and Donovan note that the process of building the wall was like putting together a, “three-D puzzle; it all
had to fit together.” Donovan says it felt amazing when they were done. “I will never look at a rock wall the same,” he observes. Dry-build stone walls can last hundreds of years, the three say. Work will now continue on backfilling around the wall and creating the beds for daylilies, Colby says. Planting of flowers will probably come next year. “It will provide an outstanding backdrop to the daylily display garden,” she says of the stone wall. Colby explains that a daylily display garden is a showcase and must be approved by the American Hemerocallis Society. The display garden will be open to visitors who can view the amazing diversity of daylilies. The plants bloom from June 1 until September 1 and come in every color except true blue. Flowers range in size from 3 to 7 inches, and height varies from 12 to 60 inches. Some daylilies re-bloom, and some varieties are fragrant. “Daylilies are addicting,” Colby says. “I am unable to pick a favorite. The ones with different colors on their edges that are ruffled intrigue me.” The Ogden Historical Society will be offering a selection of daylily plants for a donation of $3 each on Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17. The plants will be available on September 16 at the Depot and Canal Museum from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on September 17 at the Colby/Pulver House from 2 to 4 p.m. Funds raised will help with signage at the display garden. Colby adds that Monroe County has one other public daylily display garden located at the Webster Arboretum in the Kent Road Town of Webster Park.