Community Service
Troops 39 and 139 have a long history of community involvement.
Our scouts participate in a wide variety of charitable and conservation activities which have included:
COMMUNITY/ CHARITY:
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Scouting For Food
- Lobsterfest Clean-Up (Westport Rotary)
- Slice of Saugatuck
CITIZENSHIP/ VETERANS:
- Wreaths Across America (Laying Wreaths on local Veteran Graves)
- Memorial Day Flag Placement on local Veteran Graves
- Marching in the Memorial Day Parade
- Westport's Non-Partisan League of Women Voters
- Catch A Lift (Combat-Wounded Veterans)
CONSERVATION:
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Westport Christmas Tree Pick Up & Recycling
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Eagle Scout Projects Benefitting Various Organizations:
- Many local churches (Christ & Holy Trinity, St. Luke's, etc)
- Various local cemeteries (Pine Island)
- Homes for the Brave
- Wakeman Town Farm
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Connecticut Audubon Society
Christmas Tree Pick Up & Recycling
The largest (and only) fundraiser for the troop each year is also one of our most impactful events!
Scouts gather early to review safety rules and the requirements of the day.
By 8am nearly a dozen trucks and "chase cars" full of helpful scouts are on the road collecting trees from Westport driveways!
It's an all day effort, but recent years have seen close to 1,000 trees collected and brought to the Imperial Ave lot where they are recycled, repurposed, or chipped for use in conservation and landscaping projects by the town.
Want to have your tree picked up by our Troop?
Honoring Our Veterans
Throughout the year, our troop honors the service and sacrifice of our military men and women.
Ahead of Memorial Day each year, Troops 39 and 139 visit the five largest cemeteries in Westport and diligently replace worn American Flags and ensure a flag is placed by each grave of a US Veteran.
Last year, scouts assisted the Westport VFW in assembling and placing over 1000 metal grave markers/ flag holders to help ensure veteran graves are more easily recognized and a flag placed.
In December, scouts participate with the VFW in Wreaths Across America, which places wreaths on veteran graves in Assumption Cemetery, which has a large number of veterans.
Our scouts also helped honor members of the Catch A Lift Fund, who visited CT for the anniversary of 9/11 in support of combat-wounded veterans.
News 12 covered that event HERE!
Lobsterfest
Troops 39 and 139 have become a critical part of the cleanup crew that allows Westport Rotary Club to return Compo Beach to it's pre-event glory after their annual Lobsterfest Event.
This massive event draws over 1500 guests each year and sends 100% of net proceeds to over 40 local charitable organizations!
Learn more about this incredible event HERE!
Scouting For Food
Several times a year Scouts from Troops 39 and 139 organize and execute a door-to-door food drive by preparing bags to drop off to friends, neighbors and relatives with lists of much needed items and then returning to collect the items at a specified time later that week.
Past efforts have benefited Operation Hope in Fairfield, Homes with Hope in Westport and the Connecticut Food Bank.
The troop often organizes these effort ahead of major holidays or when local food pantries experience times of greater need.
Eagle Scout Projects
In order to achieve the highest rank of Eagle, scouts must plan, lead and complete a service project of lasting and meaningful impact.
Through the process, the scout must demonstrate thoughtful planning, problem solving and effective leadership (as the scout must lead others to help complete the project).
While there is no firm specified number of hours "required" for a project to qualify as eagle-eligible, the suggestion is ~100 hours or more, which most projects easily meet by the time they finish.
The project must benefit a community, school, non-profit or religious institution and often involve a hands on construction, building, cleaning or conservation element. Likewise, the project must create lasting impact that will continue after the scout's involvement.