The Porter Memorial Gymnasium bleachers at Boothbay Region High School, originally installed in 1955, were recently replaced.

At the Community School District Trustees meeting on Dec. 2, School Resource Officer Larry Brown presented several benches made from the old boards by Jim Roberge of Greene.

“I'm a sentimental person,” Brown said. “I heard about the bleachers and came down to load up my truck with the wood and bring it to my friend Jim (Roberge).”

Roberge went to work making the wood appear new again. Brown relayed a conversation at the meeting Dec. 2, where Roberge had talked about “staples and ground-in dirt” and how he lost one of his planers working on the wood.

Brown had these benches created with the plan to donate them. One has been designated the “Seahawk bench” and will be placed in the front lobby for photo opportunities. Another has been donated to the Boosters Club for a fundraiser. A third is available to be borrowed for school reunions and other events for photo opportunities.

Brown also presented two fancy coat rack plaques to the school, to hang in the offices of the BRHS principal and athletic director (currently Dan Welch and Allan Crocker).

“This is a tremendous gift to the school,” Superintendent of Schools Eileen King said as the trustees thanked Brown. “It's awesome to have this history live on in our school.”