Volunteers at the Keene Valley “community day” fill grooves with topsoil at the Marcy Field airstrip on Monday, July 24. The airfield and surrounding park were vandalized on July 15. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

KEENE VALLEY — Around 50 volunteers showed up at Marcy Field on Monday, July 24 to donate their time and sweat to repair the field after it was vandalized on July 15.

Although the morning was bright and hot, the volunteers were in high spirits. Many had brought their own shovels and rakes — others just showed up to pitch in in any way they could.

The attendees included Keene town Councilor Chris Daly, who was seen shoveling topsoil off of a flatbed truck to waiting volunteers, and town Supervisor Joe Pete Wilson.

“We have got to get it back to where we can use (the field) … get it repaired enough to get through the summer,” Wilson said.

He talked about the packed schedule of events at the field, mentioning the Keene Farmers Market, a summer concert series, and the local Youth Commission’s weekly capture the flag games, among other events. Because of this tight schedule, Wilson said the current plan is to just repair the field in the short term, particularly focused on the runway, and then in the spring or fall to do more extensive and permanent repairs.

Keene town Supervisor Joe Pete Wilson helps volunteers at the Keene Valley “community day” fill grooves with topsoil at the Marcy Field airstrip on Monday, July 24. The airfield and surrounding park were vandalized on July 15. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

While handing out water, Gatorade and sunscreen to volunteers, Wilson said he was very thankful for the “wonderful turnout” at the event.

In addition to the people donating their time, he wanted to thank the nonprofit Recreation Aviation Foundation, which sent money to buy lunch for all the volunteers, and Wade Whitney Inc., which donated topsoil to the cause. The rest of the topsoil used came from the town’s own reserves.

The supervisor said he was particularly disturbed by Marcy Field’s defacement, especially in light of another incident at a local transfer station that was vandalized in late June. He mentioned that the damage was “extensive” at both the field and the transfer station and that he thought someone had put “serious effort” into both incidents of mayhem. Wilson said that the town is now installing security cameras at the station and considering them as a deterrent to future destruction at Marcy Field.

Other residents and volunteers were less concerned.

Randy Titsworth thought the incident was just the work of some local teenagers doing donuts, far from anything intentionally malicious — although he would encourage them to pick a better spot to have fun.

Volunteers at the Keene Valley "community day" fill grooves with topsoil at the Marcy Field airstrip on Monday, July 24. The airfield and surrounding park were vandalized on July 15. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

Titsworth himself was the first person in the community to begin the repair, starting alone last week. He mentioned he was motivated after reading how some online thought the vandalism could be the end of the airstrip. Since the field and the adjoining airstrip were vandalized, the airstrip has been closed and pilots have been redirected to either the Lake Placid or Lake Clear airports through a Federal Aviation Administration system.

“My dad flew in here, I flew in here, and my son flies in here,” all over the course of 60 years, Titsworth said.

Titsworth was joined by Keene Valley Fire Chief Stephen “Rusty” Hall and local resident and Lake Placid News columnist Naj Wikoff, but he said he’s happy the community has come out to help the rebuilding effort.

One man particularly invested in the effort is local pilot Bob Rose.

Rose has been a pilot since 1969 and even flew an F-16 in the Gulf War. Recently, however, he’s been grounded. His plane is parked in a hangar at Marcy Field, and he cannot take off.

Volunteers at the Keene Valley "community day" fill grooves with topsoil at the Marcy Field airstrip on Monday, July 24. The airfield and surrounding park were vandalized on July 15. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

He wants to get his plane into Lake Placid and thinks he could get into the air from Marcy with a strong southern wind, but he’s not leaving anything to chance. It’s no telling when the airstrip will open again. He says that the beauty of the Adirondacks from the air is “truly mind-boggling,” and he can’t wait to get up again.

The youngest volunteer of the group Emmet Mackey, 8, works to fill grooves with topsoil at Marcy Field in Keene Valley on Monday, July 24. The field was vandalized on July 15. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

Keene Valley volunteers eat a donated lunch and review a photo of the destruction of Marcy Field in Keene Valley on Monday, July 24. The volunteers hope to return the park and the airstrip to working order for the rest of the summer before a more permanent solution can be reached in the fall. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)

The volunteers at the Keene Valley community day park repair pose for a photo at Marcy Field on Monday, July 24. The field was vandalized on July 15. (News photo — Arthur Maiorella)