Moving a wheelbarrow full of wet cement is a hard chore, especially on a recent, warm Saturday at Mountain View Funeral Home, Memorial Park and Crematory.

"Manual labor -- you have to respect it," commented Kimball Jardine as he sat on a pile of cedar lumber.

"Not only do you appreciate the work more, but you can also see your progress."

A senior at Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Jardine is a member of Boy Scout Troop 691.

Upon graduation, he plans on attending Brigham Young University where he will pursue a degree in computer science.

"I like to make things more efficient," continued Jardine, "and I like to help people in the best way that I can."

The muscle work he referred to is in completion of his Eagle Scout Service Project. It is the opportunity for a Boy Scout to demonstrate leadership of others by planning, coordinating and completing a project for the benefit of the community.

Clarke Thomson, Mountain View's general manager and a family friend, first suggested the idea to Jardine about the placement of cement flag holders along the park's Avenue of Flags. 

"Mountain View has always felt a strong desire to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice," Thomson said, "and our hope is having the Avenue of Flags as an annual tradition."

He added that the funeral home wants to invite families to donate their casket flag.

"Each flag will be marked and identifiable as to who donated it," said Thomson.

Jardine liked the idea and began to plan it out.

"He had to plan everything," said David Kristensen, an advisor to the troop and a former scoutmaster.

"The point of the project is to help the young man learn about leadership and about meeting with individuals, presenting a plan, receiving approval, and then executing it."

The dirty and sweaty work consisted of Jardine and approximately 10 other scouts taking wheelbarrows of cement from a mixer to a row of yellow Sono tubes. Once situated, they would shovel the heavy adhesive into a paper siphon held over one of the 140 tubes to be filled.

Once poured, other scouts pushed a plastic PVC pipe into the cement. Once the cement hardens, holes will be dug along the avenue where the flag holder will be placed. Each anchor will be able to secure a 16-foot flag pole.

"This is the first Saturday of the project," continued Thomson. "We've got two more Saturdays of work ahead of us."

For Jardine, the benefits of the project will last for much longer.

"This shows respect for the military and the veterans who have given their lives in defense of our freedom," he continued, "and I don't forget that."

Standing nearby was his mother, Kelli Jardine, and she nodded her head in agreement.

"This project not only teaches the values needed in life, but it also has a lasting impact on all those who come here," she said.

Mountain View Funeral Home, Memorial Park and Crematory is located at 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. SW in Lakewood.

For complete information, visit mountainviewtacoma.com or call 253.330.5449.