Welcome to our Volunteer Spotlight series! Each month, we spotlight our fantastic volunteers so you can learn more about the great work our community does for the Fells.
Learn more about one of our wonderful volunteer groups, the Medford Boy Scout Troop 416, below!
Guided by Troop Leader Julie Lambert and Scout Master Jim Austin, the Medford Boy Scout Troop 416 participates in a variety of projects and volunteer activities for the community. The 30 members of the troop range from the sixth through twelfth grade and represent multiple levels of Scout rankings.
This year, Troop 416 has volunteered at food pantries, participated in a cardboard canoe race, and volunteered on multiple occasions with Friends of the Fells (FOF). Troop members also attend monthly camping trips and help fellow Scouts complete their Eagle projects.
Jack Germain, Lucas Pabst, Noby Ashihara, and Declan Flaherty are four dedicated Scouts who have volunteered with Friends of the Fells this year to remove invasive species from the park. Learn more about them below!
Jack Germain is a first year Boy Scout in the sixth grade, and he holds the Scout ranking. One of Jack’s favorite parts of being a Scout is their monthly camping trips. He enjoys “[interacting] with everyone more than [he does] in a normal meeting.”
Lucas Pabst is in the seventh grade and is a second year Scout with the Tenderfoot ranking. The camping trips have been his favorite activity of this year. “I enjoy being outdoors… and being active,” Lucas says.
A fourth year Scout, Noby Ashihara holds a Star ranking and is a freshman in high school. In addition to the camping trips, Noby enjoys the sense of community that the group fosters. “[Scouts] has let me meet a lot of people and whenever I go to Scouts I feel like it’s sort of my second home,” Noby says.
Declan Flaherty has been a Boy Scout for eight years and a part of Troop 416 for six years. He is a rising junior who currently holds a Star ranking and is working towards achieving the Life ranking. Declan’s favorite activity is also the camping trips and getting to be in nature.
Some members of the troop achieved the hiking merit badge which requires Scouts to complete a series of hikes, ranging from five to 20 miles. They were able to complete some of these hikes in the Fells.
If you are interested in volunteering, Troop 416 has some advice for you. Jack and Lucas recommend going to all volunteer events prepared and making sure you have everything you need, including water or work gloves. Noby advocates for speaking up and making your ideas heard. He says this is an important part of being a leader and making sure you don’t miss out on any volunteer opportunities. Declan recommends that anyone interested in volunteering take as many opportunities that are presented to them. Declan says that volunteering “helps you connect with others that, in the future, you may need or want to connect back with.”
Thank you so much to the Medford Boy Scout Troop 416 for all the amazing work that you do to help protect the Fells!
If you are interested in learning more about our volunteer opportunities, read about our volunteer program here or check out our calendar here.