The scouts pause for a photo in front of a fence they just painted at the Westfield Fairgrounds. Foreground: Eagle Scout Daniel O’Connor Front Row (L. to R.) Scoutmaster Joe Muto, Caleb Hazzard, Jack Gronbeck, Tony Muto, Andrew Peloquin, Nathan Black, John Peloquin, and Joe Mitchell Back Row (L. to R.) Dana Gronbeck, Danny Thibault, Cody Benjamin, Liam Sheehan, Zachary Zak, Chris Ward, Nick Black and Bob O’Connor(Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – It is true that the Boy Scout slogan is “Do a good turn daily.” The thought of this phrase may invoke the image of a clean-cut young man in his scout uniform helping an elderly lady cross the street. As nostalgic as that thought may seem, you may ask yourself, did this good deed have any real impact on our community? The single act of a lone scout may not have much in the way of lasting effect, but if you multiply that effort by scores of scouts, now you have impact!
The city of Westfield is fortunate to have three active Boy Scout troops (including the largest Boy Scout troop in Western Massachusetts) and four Cub Scout packs located within the city. All told, there are approximately 350 scouts, parents and adult leaders actively engaged in improving our community. Their constant efforts often go unheralded, but they are definitely making a difference.
“Service to the community is a primary function of scouting,” said Joe Muto, scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 821 out of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish. “The boys understand that they have a duty to help others. However, they really enjoy giving back to their community. They gain a genuine sense of fulfillment when they make a difference.”
In addition to the day-to-day contributions to our community, the scouts have completed numerous other projects to fill specific needs in Westfield. Marking hiking trails for the YMCA, cleaning and painting the exterior rink for Amelia Park, sprucing up at Fort Meadow School, installing important signs at Westfield reservoirs and purchasing needed equipment for Westfield’s Food Pantry are just a few examples of the scouts giving back to the community at large in the past year. The boys seek out projects to serve the public and organizations around the city frequently ask for assistance from the scouts.
Troop 821’s newest Eagle Scout, Daniel O’Connor, led the troop in a project to paint and repair fencing and bleachers at the Westfield Fair Grounds over the summer. In addition to the satisfaction of contributing to the community, he found he gained something even more.
Front row: Eagle Scout Candidate Zachary Zak. Second row: Sean Mitchell, Cody Benjamin, Jimmy Gaudreau, Ryan Therrien. Third row: Brian MItchell, David Roundy, Jonathan Huntley, Joey Burzynski, Mike Brochetti, Zach Kochanski, T.J. Young, Jack Gronbeck, Robert Bernardara. (Photo submitted)
“I learned a lot about leadership and a lot about myself,” O’Connor said. “It took a good deal of planning to make the project run smoothly. We had quite a few boys helping out and I found that I had to manage them pretty closely to make sure the job was done right.”
It has been often said that: “Scouting is a game with a purpose.” Helping boys grow to be fine young men is the purpose… assisting in the community, camping, hiking and making a difference are the game!
If you are interested in helping scouts in our community, the Boy Scouts of Troop 821 are hosting their annual Breakfast with Santa fundraiser this Saturday. Tickets can be purchased at the door between 8:00 and 11:30 at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish Center on 127 Holyoke Road in Westfield. There will be pancakes served by the scouts, raffle prizes and photos with Santa Claus.
Zachary Zak affixes a trail marker to a tree along the Blue Trail at Camp Shepard. (Photo submitted)
