Braintree Scouts Complete Pier for Eagle Scout Project at Pond Meadow

The scouts raised more than $1,500 for the project.

Two local Boy Scouts recently raised $1,500 and constructed a new pier at Pond Meadow Park for their Eagle Scout project. Vernon Harrison Jr. built the pier itself and Nicolas Van Alfen added the metal rails. The young men, both from Braintree and in BSA Troop 110 Hingham, collected scrap metal and used a 5K race to raise the money. The pier will serve as a place for people to fish and view nature, and some people have even had their weddings on previous iterations of the pier, park supervisor Sean Cleaves said. Because of harsh winter conditions, the piers typically last about 10 years. Many scouts have completed projects at Pond Meadow. Cleaves said he was surprised that Harrison and Van Alfen were able to complete the pier, after pre-…

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Boy Scouts Visit World Trade Center, Tour New York City

Boy Scouts from Braintree traveled to New York City over Columbus Day Weekend.

The Boy Scouts from Troop 138 Braintree took a weekend trip to New York City to see The World Trade Center Memorial, tour the Hudson River to see the New York skyline and stayed overnight on the USS Intrepid.

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Patch Facts

Five Things to Know Today: Aug. 28

Your daily guide to Braintree.

Today is Tuesday, Aug. 28. Here are five things you need to know today: 1. Weather: Today should see a mix of sun and clouds with scattered thunderstorms possible. Highs should be about 80 degrees. 2. Hurricane Irene: Has it already been a year? A year ago today, Hurricane Irene battered the East Coast. Braintree avoided much of the destruction, but there were houses damaged.  3. Back to School: Students are returning to schools over the next week and don’t forget about Patch. There are many ways schools, parents and teachers can use Patch to spread their news. 4. Eagle Scout protest: Did you hear that some Eagle Scouts are returning their badges and medals in protest of the Boy Scouts of America’s policy of not allowing gay members. What …

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SOUND OFF: Eagle Scouts Give Back Badges, Medals

Do you think it's going too far?

Eagle badges and medals are being sent back to the Boy Scouts of America to protest its reaffirmation of its policy to not grant membership to open gays, according to a boston.com article. According to a national blog chronicling the protests, about 150 Eagle Scouts have mailed back their awards as of Sunday. The Boy Scouts of America have confirmed that medals and badges have been returned, according to the boston.com piece. “Each year more than 50,000 young men earn the rank of Eagle Scout, totaling to over 2 million,” said Boy Scouts national spokesman Deron Smith. “We don’t have an exact count of medals returned recently, but we have received a few. Although we are disappointed to learn of anyone who feels compelled to return his Eagle…

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Mary Ann Hergenrother, Ed.D.

3:45 pm on Saturday, September 8, 2012

The BSA policy of no gay scouts or leaders exists in sharp contrast to the Girl Scouts of America diversity and inclusion policies and practices. Moreover, the BSA policy, in contrast to its stated principles of being "....trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind... ", supports discrimination which feeds a culture of bullying, hatred and violence against gays. Recently, we have read…   more ›

Practice What You Preach

We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs. ~Gloria Steinem

 Recently the Boy Scouts of America reaffirmed its ban on homosexuals and non-religious folks that want to be involved with their organization. That’s within their rights. Recently, the Plymouth School Committee voted to allow the scouts to use the schools without a fee. I can’t help but wonder if this violates the anti-discrimination policy of the Plymouth Public Schools. Would we tolerate another group to use our facilities for free if they discriminated against color or religion? Many will argue that the scouts teach community and other skills that are good and necessary; that they make a difference in the lives of the boys who commit to scouting. I’m sure that’s true. But it’s also true that by choosing to enroll and stay in scouting, …

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Barbara Mulvey-Welsh

1:44 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012

Mr. Muggeridge, Thank you for clearing up my misperception. I pretty much agree with your entire comment. I appreciate the dialog and widening my understanding of the abuse scandal. B   more ›

Local Boy Scouts Pass Catholic Review Program at Pastoral Center in Braintree

The Ad Altare Dei aims to help Catholic Boy Scouts of the Roman Rite develop a fully Christian way of life in the faith community, according to the Boy Scouts of America Catholic Committee.

This is a picture of the four Boy Scouts from Braintree that passed the Board of Review for the Ad Altare Dei, on Sunday, April 29 at the Pastoral Center. They are from the left Jim Burke Troop 138, Nathaniel Collier Troop 138, James Burke Troop 138, Steven Legere Troop 19, Michael Dalton Troop 22,  Cathy Gil Troop 138. The Ad Altare Dei program was designed for Boy Scouts of the Catholic faith. You must be Catholic and a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America, active in your for six months and have completed the sixth grade before beginning the program. –Jim Burke

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Braintree Boy Scouts Taught CPR for Merit Badges by Ambulance Workers

Troop 138 is based out of St. Claire's in Braintree.

Boy Scouts from Troop 138 were taught about CPR by two employees of the Boston ambulance company, EasCare. The employees volunteered to help out the Troop on CPR for their First Aid merit badge. –Jim Burke

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Braintree High Senior Honored as Eagle Scout by Town Council

William J. Mullin is a third-generation Eagle Scout from Braintree.

William Mullin's months-long Eagle Scout project, built on his own years of experience and his family's generations of scouting history, began taking shape when the Braintree High School senior started hitting tennis balls against the  backboards during gym class. "While I was playing against them, I said, 'Wow these are in bad shape,'" Mullin told members of the Town Council last Tuesday night. Councilors praised Mullin during their meeting for his service to the community and for carrying on a family tradition of public service. Both Mullin's father and grandfather attained Eagle Scout status. His father Scott is an IT coordinator for Braintree Public Schools and his grandfather Jay was a Town Meeting and Finance Committeee member. "The …

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