The latest Wellesley scouting news:
Eagle Scout candidate takes aim at water pollution
From Christian Keiper, a Troop 185 Life Scout:
There is an ongoing need within the Wellesley community to prevent water pollution in the town. This need was recently highlighted by the Charles River Watershed Association’s downgrading of its report card on water health in the Charles River from an “A” rating to a “B”. As a future Eagle Scout, my service project aimed to address this problem in Wellesley by labeling storm drains throughout town with “No Dumping” signs and by including an educational poster for my volunteers to show to passersby during the project. Specifically, I was targeting 400 storm drains around the town to inform passersby that the drains lead to waterways, not the sewer system. Many homeowners do not realize that any paint washed in their driveway, or fertilizer used on their front yards, washes down due to runoff and into the storm drains, contaminating bodies of water like the Charles River. Creating more of these labels around Wellesley will help increase awareness of the sources of water pollution and ways to mitigate it. With that, I am pleased to share with you that my Eagle Service Project on Friday, June 19th, and Saturday, June 20, was a success. I led a group of 40 people over both days in groups of two to five to label a total of 643 storm drains with spray paint or medallions, for a total of 126 hours of work, including preparation time. Specifically, on Friday, we completed 273 storm drains in the Hunnewell area, and on Saturday, we completed 370 storm drains in the St. John’s area.
I would not be surprised if, as you go about your summer, you see some of the Charles River Watershed Association’s stencils near the storm drains in the project areas. If you do, please know that it was thanks to many Scout volunteers from Troop 185 in Wellesley who helped apply all of these labels, and that we would greatly appreciate your efforts in spreading our message about mitigating water pollution from storm drains!
Girl Scouts launch Prison Book Drive
Wellesley High School Girl Scouts Hadley Grover and Elise McDonough this past spring launched a Prison Book Drive as part of their community service initiative “Take Action Award.”
Recognizing the profound impact of literacy and the severe shortage of reading materials in correctional facilities, the duo mobilized their local community to collect books spanning various genres, from educational texts to fiction.
Through planning, local outreach, and donation bins placed across town, Grover and McDonough not only gathered literature to fuel minds and offer solace behind bars but also raised vital awareness about rehabilitation and educational equity.
Their dedication embodied the true spirit of the Girl Scouts, proving that passionate young leaders can create meaningful, widespread change from their own backyards.
