BLACKFOOT — A 14-year-old Boy Scout is hoping to honor those who died at State Hospital South and help the relatives wanting to learn more about them at the same time.

Brody Harrison is selling homemade doughnuts to raise money to purchase headstones for unmarked graves at the State Hospital South Cemetery in Blackfoot for his Eagle Scout project. Those wanting to purchase the doughnuts, or simply donate to the cause, can contact him at 208-980-7417 or doodl.boy98@gmail.com. He is planning to distribute the doughnuts, which cost $8 per dozen, at the Groveland LDS Church at 155 N. 380 W. in Blackfoot, from noon to 5 p.m. on Aug. 16. Those wanting to buy the doughnuts need to contact him prior to that day.

People can also donate funds for the cause at Idaho Central Credit Union, under the Brody Harrison Eagle Scout Project account. 

Harrison said he decided to pursue the project after learning about the efforts of State Hospital South officials who are trying to raise enough money to place headstones on all of the 1,000-plus graves at the cemetery. After all, his genealogy work has taught him the importance of the information placed on those headstones.

“My family is part of (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which) encourages work on family history,” Harrison said. “I caught that spirit and wanted to honor those who have passed on.”

Harrison said he is hoping to raise at least $740, which would allow him to purchase 10 headstones.

“A lot of people go to State Hospital South who want to know information about people who lived there,” Harrison said, adding that even a death date can be difficult for them to obtain.

He hopes the headstones will make it easier for relatives to find that information, and honor those buried at the cemetery at the same time.

Many of State Hospital South’s early patients — who suffered from mental illnesses as well as tuberculosis, epilepsy and other neurological diseases — remained there to live out their lives.

And those who had no family members, or at least none who knew of their location, were buried in the unmarked graves when they died.

As of May, hospital officials had been able to place 165 headstones in the cemetery, and Harrison hopes his project will add even more. He encourages people to contribute to the cause.

“Help us honor those that weren’t able to have that honor (of a headstone) because of diseases and disabilities in this life,” Harrison said.