Vacationing family completes service project at the Glades Town Park

When grandma Shirley Bugos schedules a “Cousin Camp,” her grandkids know it won’t be all fun and games. Whenever, wherever, they get together for their week-long family vacation, they know there will be some work involved.

They come from all over the country, from Massachusetts to Texas, and this year they descended on Garrett County, 16 cousins between the ages of 10 and 23, and 8 adults, including Shirley and her husband. The group completed a half-day service project on June 28^th at the Glades Town Park, mulching, weeding, trimming bushes and trees, and planting flowers.

Aristotle said, “What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.”

“I feel like Shirley Bugos’ family really lives out Aristotle’s advice,” said Kendra McLaughlin, Director of Health Education and Outreach at the Garrett County Health Department, who coordinated this service project with the Bugos family. “Shirley contacted me in May or June and told me about her family’s tradition to complete a service project together each year that they get together.”

“We contacted the Town of Oakland about doing work at the Glades because they help us out with a huge discount for the pavilion for after school programming and also support Club 21550 activities,” McLaughlin said. “They were happy to have the group do some work. They even scheduled a load of mulch to be delivered that day and met with them to explain what needed to be done.”

“The group got so much done in just a little bit of time,” said James Michaels, who served as the health department contact for the group while they were working at the Glades. “They truly worked together, and although they worked hard, it sure looked like they were having lots of fun, too! It was a pleasure to be a part of their day of service!”

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department