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Eagle Scout

Fitchburg High senior completes Eagle Scout project with community help

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FITCHBURG — High school student Frank Gallo IV was recently recognized for an Eagle Scout project he completed in his neighborhood, the clean up of Parkhill Park.

An Eagle Scout Court of Honor held on Feb. 4 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church to recognize the longtime Boy Scout’s accomplishment drew guests including Mayor Stephen DiNatale, state Rep. Michael Kushmerek, Fitchburg Public Schools Superintendent Robert Jokela, his parents and other family, fellow Troop 17 members and co-leaders, and more.

“It’s really an honor to be recognized for this achievement because it’s not only about the project,” the 17-year-old Fitchburg High School senior said. “It took seven years of commitment and work and (abiding by) the scouting ideals to get here, and it wasn’t always fun. There were some merit badges that weren’t quite so awesome.”

Gallo IV’s Eagle Scout project began in March of last year and entailed cleaning up Parkhill Park with some help from his fellow scouts and their leaders and several others who pitched in. It took about three months to draft, plan, and execute the detailed project. During this time Gallo IV coordinated with the City of Fitchburg Parks and Recreation Department “to determine the scope of the project and the logistics of its completion.”

Volunteer Anna Needham, left, and Fitchburg City Councilor Sam Squailia pitched in to help Boy Scouts Troop 17 member Frank Gallo IV with his Eagle Scout project last year, the cleanup of Parkhill Park in the 17-year-old Fitchburg High School senior's neighborhood. (COURTESY KRISTEN CANTERBURY)
Volunteer Anna Needham (left) and Fitchburg City Councilor Sam Squailia pitched in to help Boy Scouts Troop 17 member Frank Gallo IV with his Eagle Scout project last year, the cleanup of Parkhill Park in the 17-year-old Fitchburg High School senior’s neighborhood. (COURTESY KRISTEN CANTERBURY)

“We were also lucky enough to get some assistance from former Once Upon a Tile owner Joel Kaddy for the refurbishing of some chess boards and City Councilwoman Sam Squailia and her team of volunteers who provided trash bags, gloves, and other safety equipment to clean the park,” Gallo IV said.

He grew up going to the park “frequently” so when he “heard there was an opportunity to help out with the park’s growth, I took it.” After planning the project and lining everyone and the materials up, they spent two full weekends painting the clubhouse and benches, picking up trash, and retiling the chessboards.

“Fortunately, this project seemed to go over very well among the community and we got a lot of support from my fellow FHS students and the community at large,” Gallo IV conveyed.

They completed the project on June 10. Troop 17 co-leader and Scout Master Scott Johnson, who has two sons in the troop that have also achieved Eagle Scout rank, Timothy and Walter, and a third son, Henry, who will be joining the troop this spring, said he is “very proud of Frank’s accomplishments in scouting.”

“In his seven years in our troop he been an asset,” Johnson said of the newest Eagle Scout. “He is consistently willing to help the younger scouts (and) he is a great leader and always ready to motivate others and help plan activities. Despite many other demands on his time with sports and school, he was able to stay focused and complete his Eagle requirements.”

Brothers and fellow Eagle Scouts Walter and Timothy Johnson help Boy Scouts Troop 17 member Frank Gallo IV with his own Eagle Scout project, the cleanup of Parkhill Park in the 17-year-old Fitchburg High School senior's neighborhood. (COURTESY KRISTEN CANTURBURY)
Brothers and fellow Eagle Scouts Walter and Timothy Johnson help Boy Scouts Troop 17 member Frank Gallo IV with his own Eagle Scout project, the cleanup of Parkhill Park in the 17-year-old Fitchburg High School senior’s neighborhood. (COURTESY KRISTEN CANTURBURY)

Gallo IV said he will remain involved with his troop in some capacity at least until he goes off to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in the fall, where he plans to major in biology and minor in ecology, and that he is proud to have achieved Eagle Scout rank.

“It’s a big relief to have my project completed. It occupied a lot of my bandwidth and it’s nice to just relax now,” he articulated. “My Eagle Scout represents both an end and a beginning — it’s the end of my traditional scouting career, the completion of my task, but it is also the beginning of my adult scouting life, and it feels good to be part of the brotherhood of Eagles nationwide.”

Local scout’s unique journey to benefit Townsend Fire Department

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TOWNSEND — Kaylee Meadows’ scouting journey hasn’t been what many would consider “typical.”

A lover of the outdoors, Kaylee Meadows joined Scouts BSA in March 2020. While the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic presented a number of challenges in and of itself, she also struggled to find a local troop that was right for her.

Fortunately, Meadows found a troop that was, in her words, “the perfect fit” – over 3,000 miles away in Oregon.

“My experience is certainly unique,” Meadows said. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”

Virtually, Meadows joined West Linn, Oregon’s Troop 555, an all-girl unit dubbed the Triple Nickles. John Cimral, Meadows’ grandfather who founded the Triple Nickels in 2019, said the familial connection — Cimral’s daughter and Meadows’ aunt, Juliana, was also a member — and the friendliness and “we can figure this out’ attitude” attracted her to the troop.

“In an odd way,” Cimral said, “COVID kind of took this barrier down for Kaylee as it put up so many others.”

“The question was could we support her, could she participate and we thought, with everything moving to Zoom anyway, what difference would it make if Kaylee was there in Oregon or back in Massachusetts? And, because of COVID, the situation was almost natural — not a single girl batted an eye when she was introduced,” he said.

Meadows quickly found her place in the group and, despite the distance between them, was just another Triple Nickels scout. She was even elected as their senior patrol leader in 2021.

Now, two years later, Meadows is on a mission to join a small but growing list of girl Eagle Scouts — much to the benefit of the Townsend Fire Department.

On Feb. 1, 2019, Scouts BSA, formerly Boy Scouts of America, allowed girls to achieve the rank of Eagle through an Eagle project. Through their work, prospective Eagle scouts must demonstrate leadership while also serving the community. But, rather than serve the West Linn community, Meadows instead chose to give back to Townsend’s fire department by building a much needed and otherwise expensive gear dryer.

Most Eagle projects make use of the scout’s entire troop. But, back in Massachusetts, Meadows had to complete much of the work herself with some help from local volunteers. Through a GoFundMe, she raised more than $1,600 toward the project.

“It’s impressive, what she’s been able to do for, the most part, on her own,” said Michael Meadows, Kaylee Meadows’ father and a volunteer for the Townsend Fire Department. “And to think of a volunteer fire department — we don’t have a lot of money, so for her to go out of her way and do this, it just means a lot.”

“I’ll always be proud of her for that — even if I wasn’t her dad, I’d still be proud of her,” he said.

The dryer will ensure that the firefighter’s gear is kept clean and safe for use, quickly drying any jackets, pants and gloves that need to be cleaned of any smoke and or other contaminants post firefight.

Townsend Fire Chief Gary Shepherd thanked Kaylee Meadows for her work. He also called the dryer a “critical addition” to the department after the town failed to pass the Proposition 2 1/2 override, which would have increased the town’s budget by $350,000, in Monday’s annual election.

“This is a big deal for us — it’ll help keep our firefighters safe and healthy,” he said. “Without the override, our budget is going to get hit at some level — so, if it weren’t for Kaylee, who knows how long we would have gone without something like this.”

A new dryer can cost upwards of $7,000 according to Kaylee and Michael Meadows.

Kaylee Meadows said the connection to her dad and the opportunity to help first responders made her project much more meaningful. She also said everything she has learned through her project and Scouts BSA, in general, has made her a better person.

“It meant a lot to me, just to do the project and to know it would help my dad and the other firefighters,” she said. “Being able to help the community out, in any type of way, is just really important to me and really symbolizes what it means to be a scout.”

“I’ve learned so much,” she said, “and I know, being able to say I’m one of the very few female Eagle Scouts, it’s going to open up so many opportunities for me. It’s just made me a better person.”

Kaylee Meadows also stressed that, while she would advocate for an in-person scouting experience over a virtual one, scouts should not be afraid to branch out if they, like her, are unable find the right troop for them.

“If they feel the fit is right, they should try and join, no matter where they might be,” she said.

For more information on Kaylee Meadows or her project, visit https://bit.ly/3MLbtPC.

With a little help from his friends: Lucas Gallo uses Eagle Scout Project to get soccer bleachers

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FITCHBURG — Lucas Gallo, a Life Rank Scout from Boy Scouts of America Troop 12 in Leominster, chose to give back to his soccer community for his Eagle Scout Project bringing two of his passions — Scouts and sports — together.

Gallo organized a clinic/tournament fundraiser this past summer with proceeds to go toward purchasing a set of bleachers for the Fitchburg Soccer League.

“My soccer clinic and tournament week raised a little over $4,000,” Gallo said. “I needed approximately $3,000 for the bleachers that I had chosen for Moran Field in Fitchburg. I have asked that the remainder of the money be used to send hard-working and community-oriented, Fitchburg Youth Soccer juniors in high school, to Boys and Girls State in the future.”

Boys and Girls State is a one-week program that is offered through the American Legion each year.

Juniors from all over the state are chosen and sponsored by schools and organizations based on their academic performance and community service to attend a college campus (Nichols College in Massachusetts) to participate in a mock government exercise.

Lucas Gallo (left) and his friend Sam Piazza (right) are pictured after playing in a high school soccer game and refereeing during a fundraising tournament. PHOTO COURTESY OF LUCAS GALLO

“I was nominated and sponsored in 2020, by the American Legion Post 10 Fitchburg to attend this conference earlier this year,” Gallo said. “It was an amazing experience that taught me about government, leadership and service to our community. I wanted to give the same gift to deserving FYS juniors in the future.”

Gallo said he couldn’t have completed this project without the help of so many people and would like to thank them for helping to make his Eagle Scout Project a success.

“I want to thank my Troop 12 Leominster mentor Mr. Mabie, all of my troop volunteers, Fitchburg Youth Soccer coaches, and my parents and friends who all came together to help cook, run the concession stand, referee, coach and help set up and clean up,” Gallo said. “I even had my neighbor Nicole Kirrane paint faces during the event and she donated every penny towards my cause.”

Gallo says the bleachers were ordered through New England Recreation Group in Westboro, and said he owes them a huge thank you to them as well.

“The price of the bleachers had increased drastically during the time that I was raising the funds to purchase them,” Gallo said. “New England Recreation Group chose to sell me the bleachers at their cost in order to insure that I could not only build the two sets of bleachers but still have money left over to send kids to Boys and Girls State.”

Last week, Gallo asked a close group of his Scout friends, leaders and parents if they would like to help build the bleachers.

“They all jumped to the call, and we met at Moran Field on Thursday afternoon and completed both bleacher sets,” he said.

Gallo says the Fitchburg Youth Soccer board of directors is very happy with the bleachers and very excited to put them to use in the spring.

“I cannot thank all of the people who helped to make this project a reality,” Gallo said. “There was a lot of hard work and planning that went on behind the scenes but the hours and hours that were given of people’s time to run a fun and memorable fundraiser and to put together two sets of bleachers still humbles me. I am so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful community in both Leominster and Fitchburg.”

Eagle Scout project brings together love of scouting and sports

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LEOMINSTER — Lucas Gallo, a Life Rank Scout from Scouts BSA Troop 12 Leominster, has chosen to give back to his soccer community for his Eagle Scout Project and bring two of his passions — scouts and sports — together.

“I have played for Fitchburg Youth Soccer since I was 4 years old and I wanted to give back in some way,” Gallo said. “I have always been very active as a volunteer and player for FYS, so it made sense to continue to help them. My goal is to purchase and install a set of bleachers for the Fitchburg Youth Soccer travel fields at Moran Park in Fitchburg.”

To raise the approximately $3,000 needed, Gallo is organizing a World Cup Week soccer clinic/tournament for all ages to be held at Coolidge Park in Fitchburg from Aug. 25 through Aug. 29.

During the World Cup Week, each grade division will have two days of soccer. The younger divisions will have one day of clinic and one day of games and the older divisions will have a two-day tournament.

There will also be food, raffles and face painting available at different times of the event.

“Lucas has found a unique way to combine two passions,” said Keith Boudreau, committee chair and charter organization representative for Our Lady of the Lake Church. “He has worked with Fitchburg Youth Soccer for years as a referee and noticed the frustration of having spectators seated along the sidelines where they are often in the way of the players and referees.”

As a Life Scout looking to progress to the Eagle Scout Rank, Boudreau said Gallo needed to develop an Eagle Scout Service Project that benefits the community.

“In this project he is combining both to benefit both the spectators as well as the players in Fitchburg Youth Soccer,” Boudreau said. “The project is ambitious.”

To be approved for this project, Gallo first had to develop the outline for his project with the FYS personnel and then present the project to the Troop 12 Committee for approval. With both tasks completed, the project needed to be reviewed and approved by the local Scouts BSA council. With all these tasks completed, Gallo has been hard at work to get the tournament details completed and gather the help he will need.

Gallo also planned and carried out a fundraiser over Memorial Day weekend with a Canoe-a-Thon on Lake Whalom in Lunenburg to benefit first responders and nursing home personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These actions are great examples of the character and spirit Lucas brings to scouting and are a reason why adult leaders support the program,” Boudreau said. “Scouting makes a youth member ‘Prepared for Life’ and with a project such as this, the value placed on the Eagle Scout Rank is apparent.”

Eric Mabie, assistant scoutmaster, Scouts BSA Troop 12, is acting as Gallo’s Eagle Project mentor and helping guide him to completion of his project and earning scouting’s highest award — Eagle Scout.

“I have known Lucas since he first started scouting as a Tiger Cub Scout in Pack 3 when he was in first grade,” Mabie said. “I have been involved as a unit leader throughout Lucas’ scouting career and actively watched him grow from an energetic and curious cub scout into a smart, knowledgeable and responsible young adult in his current Scouts BSA Troop 12.”

Mabie believes this soccer tournament is a great idea that will also play into the goals of the Eagle Project to teach scouts to plan, develop, and give leadership to others at the same time as providing the needed funds to complete the project.

“In this case the donations come from the players who are also part of the community that will benefit from the new bleachers on the field,” Mabie said. “Play soccer, raise money, improve the community fields and have fun. What’s not to love of his plan?”

Gallo is thankful that he started scouting as an extra activity to go along with his love of sports.

“My parents had me try everything so I could see what I liked and didn’t like,” he said. “Making new friends and meeting new people every year has been the best. I’ve met some of my favorite adults and kids through scouts.”

Gallo said he couldn’t do this project without the help of family and friends including Mabie, Boudreau, Darlene Bergeron, Paul Cosgrove, Nate LaRose and his mom, Becky Gallo.

“I’m really grateful to all of the people who have helped me this far because there were a lot of things that I wouldn’t have thought about without them,” Gallo said. “I know that some of my scout friends and my family will be volunteering at the World Cup Week event and also when we install the bleachers. I will also be asking some of my FYS friends to help coach and referee as well.”

Gallo also thanks the American Legion Post 10 and his grandmother for the donations he has received so far.

“I think scouting is very important in today’s world,” Gallo said. “I believe that the skills that I have learned throughout my journey will help me; and are necessary and helpful in so many everyday situations.

Gallo believes scouting helps build confidence in young kids and teaches them leadership skills and “is the only place that kids will learn how to give first aid to someone, cook a meal over a fire, and learn to tie a knot that really will work,” he said with a smile.

“This Eagle Scout Project means a ton to me because I know that I will be doing something to help an organization that has helped me a lot and a great community of people that volunteer their time for kids,” Gallo said. “I will also be the first Eagle Scout in my family, which would be an honor for me.”

Kids from the age of 4 through high school can register for the tournament at www.fitchburgyouthsoccer.org.

The cost is $35 per player, which includes a game shirt. Registration will stay open until Aug. 22. However, anyone who registered after Sunday may not get an event shirt. Any questions or for registration assistance, contact Gallo at vikingsfan28324@gmail.com

If anyone is looking to donate towards Lucas’ project and support the Fitchburg Youth Soccer community, donations are welcome. Checks can be written to Fitchburg Youth Soccer and mailed to Lucas at 34 Wilder Lane, Leominster, MA 01453.

Ashburnham’s Patrick Edwards completes Eagle Scout Project

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FITCHBURG — Boy Scouts of America Troop 41 of Fitchburg recently announced that Life Scout Patrick Edwards of Ashburnham has completed his Eagle Scout service project at Forest Hill Cemetery.

Patrick worked with Jacqueline Poirier of the Fitchburg Cemetery Department to scope out, design and execute his Eagle Scout service project which included designing, fundraising for and installing 27 path marker street signs in Forest Hill Cemetery. Each path marker street sign is mounted to steel posts in a cement foundation, installed under the direction of the city’s Cemetery Department.

The Eagle Scout service project is one of the requirements to attain the rank of Eagle, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. Each project is conceptualized, designed, fundraised and executed by the Eagle candidate, under the approval of the recipient organization and the Boy Scouts of America.

Patrick, 17, who is a senior at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School, began his scouting career at the age of 7 with Pack 41 of Fitchburg, and worked his way through the Cub program, earning his Arrow of Light at the age of 11, graduating to Troop 41, and then working his way through the ranks to this point in his scouting life.

This is the final step on Patrick’s path to his Eagle Scout Board of Review.

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people for a rewarding and fulfilling life of service and good citizenship, to be good adults.

Pack 41 and Troop 41, sponsored by the Fitchburg Friends of Scouting, are celebrating 66 years of service to the youth of Greater Fitchburg.

William Hodges serves the troop as scoutmaster and Paul St. Germain as committee chair. For more information visit www.fitchburgscouting.com.

Gardner’s Thomas Hall is Leominster Troop 477’s first Eagle Scout of 2021

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LEOMINSTER — Thomas Hall, of Scouts BSA Troop 477 Leominster, reached a lifetime goal by earning the highest rank in scouting — Eagle Scout, according to an announcement by the troop.

Because service is an essential component of scouting, each Eagle Scout candidate is required to complete a project in order to demonstrate leadership. Scouts develop an idea, plan tasks, budget, set a timeline, and lead others to accomplish the project, according to the troop.

When Hall, who hails from Gardner, was looking for ideas for his Eagle Scout project, he worked with Steve Picard at Evergreen Cemetery who was looking for help raising over 50 sunken headstones marking veteran graves.

Hall organized a group of scouts, family, and friends over several weekends last summer to complete the work. The project honors, recognizes, and preserves the legacy of veterans that served our country, according to the troop.

Thomas Hall, 17, of Gardner recently completed the requirements for becoming an Eagle Scout.

Scouting has provided Hall over 10 years of experiences and skills development, from volunteering and public speaking, to goal setting.

He has served as the troop’s Quartermaster, Instructor, and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster and last October, he was inducted into the Order of the Arrow, according to the troop.

Through it all, it is the years of friendships that have been made through shared interests and experiences that are most memorable, building relationships that are more like family than friends.

Hall has earned 31 merit badges and has more camping nights than he can count.

His favorite memory was earning the cycling merit badge when he pedaled 50 miles from Leominster’s Commuter Rail Station, over the hills of Carlisle, all the way into North Station in Boston. He rode 125 miles on the path to Eagle Scout, along the way learning about bike maintenance, first aid, and traffic laws, according to the troop.

Hall, 17, is a senior at Gardner High School, dually enrolled at Mount Wachusett Community College, and is a National Honor Society member. After graduation, Hall plans on majoring in veterinary technology in college.