Teen Builds 80-Foot Path So Seniors Can Access Park

Senior Girl Scout Sara Rubano was volunteering at Sunrise Senior Living in Old Tappan when she spotted something frustrating. The facility sat right next to Oakes Park, but residents had no direct way to reach it without walking 15 minutes around the block or taking a bus.

A wooded border separated the two properties, too rough and overgrown for elderly residents to cross safely. Sara saw an opportunity to change that.

She pitched the idea of a connecting path to Sunrise Executive Director Shain Cohen, who told her the project had been attempted before but never finished. Cohen encouraged Sara to try again.

In September 2025, Sara walked into a packed Old Tappan Council meeting feeling intimidated. She was a high school senior surrounded by adults discussing budgets and serious municipal business.

Mayor Thomas Gallagher and the council loved the idea immediately. They gave it the green light as long as the path met ADA compliance standards and Sara secured the proper permits.

Borough Engineer Thomas Skrable helped her navigate the simple soil disturbance permit process. Then Sara turned to Paul Hewitt of Hewitt Landscaping, who had originally built the park in 2005.

Hewitt had just removed pavers from another renovation project and donated them along with stone, sand, edging and other materials. Montvale Landscaping and Northern Valley Stone pitched in with additional supplies and expert guidance.

Sara still needed volunteers for the heavy installation work. She recruited from Northern Valley's Volunteens Club, where high school seniors were looking for community service projects for their college applications. So many students signed up that Sara had to schedule them in shifts.

Why This Inspires

Over four days during the November teachers' convention weekend, Sara and her team of volunteers installed the 80-foot-long, 10-foot-wide accessible pathway. Beets Juice Bar kept the workers fueled with refreshments.

The path opened after a ribbon cutting ceremony. Sunrise residents now had direct access to the scene of summer concerts and the borough's annual Easter Egg Hunt.

"Through her actions of volunteering, Sara has literally bridged a way for the residents at Sunrise to have new experiences," said Betty Ann Niece, Sara's adviser in Troop 95908.

On January 15, Sara received notification that her project earned approval for the Girl Scout Gold Award, the organization's highest honor. She'll receive the award this spring at a ceremony led by her mother and troop leader Anna Rubano.

One teenager saw a problem, organized a community, and built a solution that will serve seniors for years to come.