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Clifton Park honors Girl Scout Sophie Cottrell for cemetery preservation project
Summary
At the July 7 town board meeting Sophie Cottrell received a proclamation recognizing her Girl Scout Gold Award project to clean, repair and mark a small Clifton Park cemetery; the Historic Preservation Commission pledged ongoing care and the town provided grant support for fencing and a roadside marker.
At the July 7 Town of Clifton Park meeting, the board presented a proclamation honoring Sophie Cottrell for earning the Girl Scout Gold Award after she led a project to rehabilitate a small town cemetery.
"My Girl Scout gold award project [was] cleaning up the DeGraw Family Cemetery, which is 1 of the town of Clifton Park cemeteries," Cottrell told the board, describing work that included clearing brush, cleaning headstones with a biological cleaner, resetting stones with epoxy and clamps, installing a fence and creating a pathway and a local-history scavenger hunt for elementary students.
The board’s proclamation summarized the project’s scope and community partnerships, noting Cottrell fundraised and used town grants to help cover costs. The Historic Preservation Commission and town historian assisted; Cottrell credited Gail Winters and town historian John Shear for technical guidance. The proclamation also noted the project’s public outreach components, including a scavenger-hunt activity at the Clifton Park Half Moon Library and a brief feature in the March 2026 Clifton Park magazine.
Historic Preservation Commission member Linda Seymour praised Cottrell’s leadership and sustainability planning and said the commission recommended an official marker and fence for the site. Seymour described the cemetery’s location near Exit 10 off Pierce Road and told Cottrell the commission and town will ensure continued care after she leaves for college.
Cottrell said the Gold Award process requires documentation of at least 80 hours of work and a sustainable plan for ongoing stewardship. The board read the formal proclamation and thanked Cottrell; the town indicated a historic marker and fence installation are planned as part of the project’s completion.
The board’s recognition concluded with members wishing Cottrell success as she prepares to attend James Madison University.
