By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–Connor Romanowski, senior at Helena High School and a member of the Helena Huskies baseball team, is finishing up an Eagle Scout Project for Troop 2 that he, as well as the entire community, will be able to enjoy for years to come.

Romanowski constructed a large flagpole to be placed at the Helena High School baseball stadium that includes pavers and a plaque. Fans and members of the community will now salute the large flag near the entrance of the stadium whenever the National Anthem is played.

In part because of his involvement on the baseball team playing outfield, Romanowski said it makes the project more meaningful.

“The project will be to benefit the community and it means a little more to me since I play on the baseball team and it’s so close to something I love to do,” said Romanowski. “It will have my name on it for a long time and we’re ordering the plaque next week and it will be up here for a long time and I’m excited to have it up here.”

A flag raising ceremony has been set for Saturday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. to dedicate the new flagpole.

“We wanted to do something extra on the side since not many people know what a retirement ceremony is and have never been a part of one,” said Romanowski. “I told the city I want more than just the troop to be out here doing stuff. We’re thankful to have those kind of connections and be able to have all the people that made contributions to the project to have them out here.”

The American Legion Post from Pelham helped donate the American Flag to Romanowski’s project and the city of Helena helped with the actual flagpole structure and digging the hole to place the pole in the ground.

Romanowski was grateful for the donations and help he received to help finish his project.

“Without the mayor and help from the city I wouldn’t of have been able to do it,” said Romanowski. “The city had guys come out to cut the concrete for me, pick the concrete up an drill the hole for me and it’s wonderful. Helena Landscape let me have sand, finite rock and bricks as well.”

Romanowski said it took him nearly a year to figure out what project he actually wanted to do to complete his Eagle Scout rank but was glad when he figured out what he actually wanted to do.

“It can be anything you want but it needs to be passed off by the scoutmaster,” Romanowski said referring to the project. “One percent of all boy scouts get the rank of Eagle Scout so I didn’t want to do just anything easy.”