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Updated Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:41 PM
Trenton Boy Scouts help keep Meals on Wheels program going
BY K. MCSTAY
HERALD DEMOCRAT
These Scouts didn't go to the beach this summer, or spend the days in front of the television. When the Trenton Senior Nutrition and Activities Program temporarily shut down, the Scouts of Troop 159 and their leaders joined together to keep the Meals on Wheels program running.
For 60 days, the troop delivered meals to seniors in the Trenton area, making sure that each received a balanced meal and plenty of conversation.
At a Court of Honors on Tuesday, members of the troop received recognition, including a uniform patch and a Texas State Senate proclamation, for the work they did over the summer. Seniors who received meals from the Scouts were also invited to attend, and Kelley Scott, executive director of Tri-County Senior Nutrition Program, helped to pass out patches to the Scouts. "I feel blessed to see these young men grow into Boy Scouts," she said, as she handed out the "Good Turn for America" patches.
"It's phenomenal," said Alan Lanbright, one of the troop leaders. "That about sums it up. They're learning to serve their community." The boys, ages 11 to 16, helped to deliver meals to homebound residents of the Trenton area, cheering up the seniors and dropping off the meals. "It goes way beyond Scouts," Lanbright said. "Serving the community is a lesson that every one of us needs to learn."
"At first, they didn't know what to do," said Scout Master Dave Hamrick, and the Scouts were "cautious" of the new activity. But, by the end of the first day, he said, the boys were enjoying the work. Soon, the seniors were looking forward to the visits, and requesting time to chat with the Scouts.
"They were all little gentlemen," said Vaudrey Petty, one of the seniors who received meals from the Scouts. "They were God-sent, that's what they were." Petty said that she looked forward to the visits from the boys, and enjoyed speaking with them and seeing "their smiles."
"They were so polite. Every one was respectful," she said.
Arminta Tuck and her husband received meals from the Scouts as well, and likewise enjoyed the company. "They would come in and talk to him like they were family," she said. After her husband's illness progressed, she stopped receiving the meals, though she said that she missed the conversation. "I enjoyed them so much."
Sam Thompson, 13, said that the work gave him a sense of accomplishment. "You get to help those who need it," he said. The troop worked until the end of the summer, when school started and they could no longer work during the day. "It's important to the community," Sam said. He said that working with Meals on Wheels taught him how to listen to senior citizens, and the stories they can tell. The first priority, however, was serving the community, he said.
That refrain was repeated by several other Scouts, who said that the ability to serve the community was the most important aspect of the program. "You help people make it where, otherwise, they might not," Clint Cowan, 12, said. "That way, they don't have to run around town," Ben Parker, 12, added.
Nick Frattarelli, 15, who has been with the Scouts for three years said that, in many aspects, the program was unique. "I've never helped the elderly, " he said. "It was different in a good way." Though he initially had reservations, he said the program ended up teaching him to appreciate seniors, as well as the importance of community service. "The smallest things can have the biggest impact," he said.
Though the Scouts are now in school and can no longer deliver meals daily, Hamrick said that the troop is still looking for ways to help the program. One Scout, he said, organized a food drive in his school, where half of the donations would go to the SNAP center, and the other would go directly to some of the area seniors. Previously, he said, the Scouts donated to a food drive, and they saw need for only that day. "They got to see a need for 60 some days, and they got to fix that need," he said of the delivery service. "They saw people who need something as simple as food."
"They deserve more than those badges," Petty said, after taking her picture with the Scouts. "They're just little angels."
 Comments ... 14 found!
: 9/27/2008
Hats off to the Scouts of Troop 159
: 9/27/2008
these young men are setting a great example for the community
Kevin
: 9/27/2008
good job guys
Dan
: 9/26/2008
How do you see anything partisan in the article written above? Great job by our Trenton youth and thank you for making our community proud. Hats off to the leaders who teach these young men.
C.Gourd
: 9/25/2008
Very well put Scoutmaster and you are 100% correct! These are GOOD boys with good hearts and that supercedes any political affiliation. Hopefully by the time they are adults there will be no political "parties" as we know them today. Keep up the good work!
DLP
: 9/25/2008
I suppose with many people getting caught up in the pending election process, they see no harm in voicing their political views at every opportunity. They want to analyze every act, whether good or bad, and try to label it with the appropriate political ideology. “Aww… aren’t they good little democratic boys, or good little republican boys.” Or, “they are wonderful little conservatives or liberals.” Let me set the record straight. If you are trying to get to the root cause, the root reason these boys spent an hour a day, all summer long, delivering meals to folks they didn’t even know, you only have to hear them repeat the Scout Oath and the Scout Law at the beginning of every meeting. In the oath it says “to help other people at all times”. It doesn’t list a political influence behind the statement, it just says to help other people at all times. We are helping these boys become good men, not good conservatives or good liberals, good men. We don’t care what their political aspirations are, we care how well their heart is prepared to serve their God and their country. The scouts of Troop 159 have demonstrated selfless service to our community, and will continue to do so for as long as the troop remains active. One day, far down the road, one of these boys may be in a position to influence a vote, or a law, or a program designed to help our seniors. These boys now have experience in this issue. They understand what real need is, and they are united to conquer that need. If you want to label my boys, don’t use ‘conservative’ or ‘liberal’… use “GREAT” or “WONDERFUL”… or just move on to the next article.
Scoutmaster Dave Hamrick
: 9/25/2008
There are 35 Senators, and 147 Representatives in Congress who at one time were Boy Scouts. Out of those one, 10 Senators and 15 Representatives are Eagle Scouts. Famous Eagle Scouts: *Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon. *William C. DeVries, M.D., Surgeon and educator, transplanted the first artificial heart. *President Gerald R. Ford (deceased), former president of the United States. *Bill Gates, Sr. CEO of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, father of Microsoft founder Bill Gates. *H. Ross Perot, founder of Perot Systems Corp., former presidential candidate. *Gov. Rick Perry Governor of Texas. *Steven Spielberg, Academy Award-Winning film director.
Marie
: 9/24/2008
I for one am one of the grandmother's of the boy scouts and mother-in-law of one of the leaders. And I thank GOD for their unselfishness and giving of themselves! I am very proud of ALL OF THEM.
: 9/24/2008
You are ALL a bunch of idiots! What kind of people try and turn something good like this into a stupid, partisan debate? I think you are ALL messed up in the head and need serious help!! You obviously all have WAY too much time on your hands.
A REAL Former Scout
: 9/24/2008
Hats off to the Trenton Boy Scouts. You are special kids and this is what life is all about - helping others - especially others who may not otherwise have a voice in today's society. I hope and pray that in this often corrupt world of self-serving conservatives who worry about no one except the interests of mega-corporations they serve, you will rise about the politics and retain these kind of values throughout your adult lives.
A Former Scout
: 9/24/2008
Sorry you feel that way "J". Our world is political. It just does my heart good to see a few classy young people (and their parents who obviously support them) serving people in the communities other than themselves!
A Conservative
: 9/24/2008
They didn't have to fire someone in order to get assistance from the Boy Scouts or any other group. It was great that the Boy Scouts did this but so sad that Ms. Richardson is not still part of the program.
D.
: 9/24/2008
I can't believe you turned an article about these boys doing something great into a political commentary. How sad.
J
: 9/24/2008
Hats off to the Trenton Boy Scouts! You are special kids and this is what life is all about - helping others. I hope and pray that in this corrupt world of self-centered liberals who worry about no one except themselves, you will rise above the politics and retain these kind of values throughout your adult lives! The world desperately needs people like you out there to keep us moving in the right direction!!
A Conservative
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