The Community Memorial Rainbow Bridge was unveiled on Saturday at the Alpena County Fairgrounds. The bridge was built by members of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Girl Scout Troop 1033, Cadettes Anna Leddy and Kenna Mousseau, as a project to earn their Girl Scout Silver Award. The Silver Award is the second highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Anna and Kenna are 8th grade students at Thunder Bay Junior High School.

Two of the Girl Scout Laws are 1) to use resources wisely and 2) to make the world a better place. The Rainbow Bridge was constructed using lumber that was reclaimed from trees that fell in Alpena County during the ice storm that occurred earlier this year. The community will be able to place collars, harnesses and/or tags, of their beloved pets who have crossed the rainbow bridge, onto the bridge. The Community Rainbow Bridge will serve as a memorial and provide a supportive space for those grieving the loss of a pet while offering a place for reflection, remembrance, and shared experience to heal grief and honor the time shared with them.

Advising the girls were Alpena County Sheriff Animal Control Officer Deputy Michelle Reid, and retired licensed contractor Larry Bussey who helped with the design and construction of the bridge. The girls presented their project to the Alpena County Commissioners and were granted permission to place the bridge at the Alpena County Fairgrounds. Larry Bussey, Matthew Haskins-Thunder Bay Therapeutic Massage and Nathan Fitzpatrick-Fitzpatrick Hardware donated supplies for the construction and painting of the bridge. Troop leaders for Troop 1033 are Bronwyn Woolman and Trudy Mousseau.

A memorial garden will be added in the spring of 2026… stay tuned for that amazing event.