Boy Scout, 15, Leads Southington Community Service Project

Background: The Boy Scouts of America were established over a hundred years ago. It's part of a global, non-profit effort today that promotes virtues such as character, citizenship and fitness in young men. Service projects undertaken for church, school and community are performed by boys enabling them to responsibly hone skills that prepare them for lifelong duties.  

To our story now... Scout, Matthew Leary of Southington led a team of 8 Boy Scouts of Troop 3, Waterbury in an invaluable community service project in Southington this month.  First he had to present the idea and gain the approval of his Scoutmaster, Bill Meo, and Southington Town Manager, Garry Brumback.

The project, which Leary chose himself, was the needed clearance and restoration of safe access to the Laning Street entry to the Town of Southington’s 47 acre Griffin Open Space parcel of land. See attached photo of site of work before cleanup.

Leary's project team are shown in accompanying photo, left to right: Jeremy Melenciano, Andrew Belske, Matthew Leary, Joseph DeCrisanti, Nick Gormley, Timothy Belske, Tom Sullivan, Anthony Belske with Joe Mennillo absent. Town Manager, Garry Brumback is with them on the right.  

Describing the project, Leary said: “The entrance to the open space trail became overgrown with brush, impacted by significant storm damage and illegal dumping, to the extent of blocking access to the trailhead”. "It was a mess", one of the scouts commented. But, this energetic all voliunteer crew of Boy Scouts and 5 adults expended 84 man-hours in planning, organizing and performing the work. 

In addition to clearing the brush and debris, the Scouts swept the curb, cleaned the water catch basins and posted a ‘No Dumping’ sign at the entrance. See photo of Griffin Open Space entrance after restoration.  Neighboring property supported the volunteer work of the Boy Scouts, but also expressed their concerns that the cleanup might attract dirt bikes onto the property, Leary said. 

On August 14, Matt was presented a letter of gratitude from the Town's Open Space Committee.  Reached today, Southington Town Manager, Garry Brumback said: "Southington is fortunate to have several active scout troops whose scouts are looking to give back to the community.  Projects such as the clean-up of the Laning Street entrance to the Griffin open space, the building of handicap access to the Dog Park and the restoration of the gardens of the Barnes museum have contributed greatly to the betterment of our Town. These young men have given their talent and their time to make Southington a better place to live, and we are very grateful!"

Scout Troops are organized by ‘patrols’ with older boys teaching skills to younger boys, building character, trust, preparedness and leadership while advancing through the ranks of tenderfoot, 2nd class and 1st class scout. Boys may then advance to Star, Life and the highest rank of Eagle Scout.

Matt became a cub scout at age 7 in Pack 218 in Waterbury where he ultimately earned the ‘Arrow of Light’, the highest award in Cub Scouts and was tapped for the Order of the Arrow, as was his dad in his boyhood. 

After completion of the service project this month, Mathew Leary passed his Board of Review, thus achieving the rank of Life Scout. His journey to Eagle Scout now begins with many merit badges to be acquired, leadership effectiveness skills and a new and more challenging project required. 

Leary is a sophomore at St. Paul’s Catholic H.S. in Bristol who attended St. Dominic School through 5th grade and St. Thomas School through 8th. He loves sports, has played Town of Southington baseball, soccer, and basketball in grade school years and high school. 

Matt resides in Southington with his mom, Karen Matthews Leary, a physical therapist at the Consolidated School District of New Britain and at the Hartford Hospital, and his dad, John J. Leary, who is Director of Consolidated Accounting at Tronox in Stamford, CT who also is an elected town official serving as Chairman of the Southington Board of Finance in addition to his continued dedication to scouting as an assistant scoutmaster.   

Matt's older sister, Lauren, is a freshman at St. Joseph University in West Hartford who attended the same schools as her younger brother.  The family has been dedicated to their parish Church of St. Dominic for years.

An accomplished swimmer, Life Scout Matt Leary is proficient at sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing and enjoys traveling and exploring. Matt enjoys golf, particularly playing with his grandfather, Dave Matthews. Matt likes science, investigating how things work, enjoys cooking at home and over an open fire while camping.  

Matt enjoys being a leader in Boy Scouts, teaching skills to younger boys. He’s a tad shy and reserved but has an acute sense of what is going on around him and is a very considerate gentleman. Matt does many chores around home: snow shoveling, lawn mowing, tree trimming, painting, and home repairs.  Leary is proficient with a range of power tools. He enjoys working with his hands and using tools. Matt helps his great grandfather who is 96 years old with many household chores as he does at home. He spends time with his great-grandfather watching Yankee games and loves spending time with his 2-year old Golden Retriever, 'Lucy'. 

Is there anything that Matt doesn't like much? Yep, Reading and writing. But that, we are confident, will change in his busy years yet to come.  

Thanks to the Leary family for their time, input and efforts in bringing this story to publication. Their many contributions, through the years, to our community and their church have helped to enrich the family values they nurture. 

Please see the accompanying photo of an actual Troop 3 campfire as we remember to keep the spirit of America's campfires glowing!

For more, visit The Quest for Common Ground