caption:
Bridge Project
Putnam’s Troop 21 Senior Patrol Leader Richard L. LaBonte Jr., is pictured here hammering a nail during his Eagle Scout Service Project, while Scoutmaster Peter A. Lombardo looks on. Photo by Vikkii LaBonte.
PUTNAM — Think of it as a really hard, really important job interview. It has to be, because this job lasts for life. Recently, 16-year-old Richard L. LaBonte Jr., successfully finished his interview.
This means the young man from Pomfret is Troop 21’s brand-new Eagle Scout.
“I learned from being in Scouts how to talk to people and to try new things,” LaBonte said, as he emerged from his Eagle Scout Board of Review Dec. 21.
Troop 21’s new Eagle Scout, the son of Richard, Sr., and Vikkii LaBonte, has indeed tried many “new things” since he became a Scout in 2011 – camping, hiking, fishing, rock climbing, swimming, rappelling, astronomy and the host of other activities that Scouts do.
Add to that earning 21 merit badges, holding a responsible leadership position in Troop 21 for most of the last five years and performing plenty of community service along the way, and you get the 350 or so requirements LaBonte had to complete in order to earn Scouting’s highest rank.
After a Troop 21 Scout has completed the requirements for the rank of Eagle, he must be reviewed and passed by a combined Eagle Scout Board of Review, made up of adult leaders from Troop 21 and the Nipmuck District of the East Hartford-based Connecticut Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Counting the time needed to fill out the paperwork, LaBonte’s board of review took just under an hour.
“I learned (from being a Scout) that when you’re the leader, everyone looks up to you to make the right choice,” LaBonte said shortly afterwards.
Indeed, the Boy Scouts of America requires that an Eagle Scout candidate show his leadership by planning and leading others in successfully completing a significant service project to benefit the candidate’s school, church or community.
For his service project, beginning last March, LaBonte spent over four months leading a group of 16 Scouts and adult volunteers who demolished the old, decrepit, 40-foot, wooden footbridge and assembled and stained a new one spanning Creamery Brook at Brooklyn’s Donald Francis Recreation Park on Rt. 6. LaBonte and his crew finished the bridge in July.
Nationwide, the Boy Scouts of America’s national office in Irving, Texas, said that in 2015 a total of 8,503,337 hours were spent working on Eagle Scout service projects.
That averaged out to over 150 hours each. LaBonte and his crew beat that number, however, putting in a total of almost 200 hours overall.
In addition to a service project, an Eagle Scout candidate must earn a total of 21 required and elective merit badges. LaBonte has 22.
LaBonte is a junior at H. H. Ellis Technical High School in Danielson where he studies electronics.
Troop 21 Scoutmaster Peter A. Lombardo, of Putnam, said new Eagle Scout Richard LaBonte may never be famous, but that’s not the point.
“Richard has come so far and done so well in his five years with Troop 21,” Lombardo said.
“He’s set himself up with a great foundation to succeed in life. I’m so proud of him.”
Wed. Jan. 4
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at noon starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Free for CAS members; $3 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Art Show
THOMPSON --- The Friends of the Thompson Public Library will present Art @ the Library with a Thompson Winter Student Art Showcase by Thompson Public School art students through Jan. 9 at the library. 860-923-9779
Thur. Jan. 5
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at 8:30 a.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Bring camera. Free for CAS members; $5 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Fri. Jan. 6
‘Soldier Report’
DANIELSON --- The RSVP Veterans Coffeehouse will present local artist and performer G. Leslie Sweetnam of Woodstock with his one-man show: “A Soldier's Report from the Civil War” at 7 p.m. at Veterans Coffeehouse at Westfield Congregational Church on Main and Reynolds streets. All veterans and one guest are invited to attend. 860-774-9286.
Sun. Jan. 8
Nature Program
HAMPTON --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at 2 p.m. at the Trail Wood off Kenyon Road. Free for CAS members; $5 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Nature Program
HAMPTON --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a full moon walk at 7 p.m. at the Trail Wood off Kenyon Road. Free for CAS members; $5 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Mon. Jan. 9
Garden Program
WOODSTOCK --- The Quiet Corner Garden Club will present Bet Zimmerman with “Blue Birds” at 7 p.m. at the South Woodstock Baptist Church meeting hall. Free. All welcome. www.quietcornergardenclub.org.
Tues. Jan. 10
Exercise Group
WOODSTOCK --- The Woodstock Senior Exercise Group will meet from 9 to 10 a.m. every Tuesday in the Woodstock Town Hall lower level meeting room. Free for all Woodstock senior citizens 60 and older. 860-974-1050.
Wed. Jan. 11
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at noon starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Free for CAS members; $3 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Thur. Jan. 12
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at 8:30 a.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Bring camera. Free for CAS members; $5 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Marriage Study
THOMPSON --- The Creation Church will present a marriage study for couples, Grace-Filled Marriage, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. each Thursday through March 2. Childcare provided. $15 per couple. 860-923-9979.
Fri. Jan. 13
History Program
CANTERBURY --- The Canterbury Historical Society will present Captain Kenneth Force with “Sousa to Barnum… The Golden Era of American Band Music” after 7 p.m. business meeting at the Community Room at the Town Hall. Refreshments follow. Free. All welcome. www.canterburyhistorical.org.
Camp
POMFRET --- The Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp on Taft Pond Road will hold its Winter teen Weekend starting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 13 and running through 9 a.m. Jan. 15 at the camp. $50. Preregister by Jan. 6. 860-974-3379 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Sat. Jan. 14
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present "Nature Sketchbook Journaling" from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. $10 for CAS members; $20 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Nature Program
HAMPTON --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a Trail Wood Owl Walk at 7 p.m. at the Trail Wood off Kenyon Road. $5 for CAS members; $10 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Mon. Jan. 16
MLK Breakfast
PUTNAM --- “Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast” will be presented at 8 a.m. at the Putnam Elks Lodge on Edmond Street. Speaker will be Dr. Matthew W. Hughey, associate professor of sociology at UConn. Music by the Tourtellotte Memorial High School Modern Music Ensemble. Sponsored by Living Faith Methodist Church, Putnam Elks Lodge 574, Greater Putnam Interfaith Council. $8 for adults and $4 for children 10 and younger. 508-685-6291.
Wed. Jan. 18
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at noon starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Free for CAS members; $3 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Thur. Jan. 19
Library Program
POMFRET --- The Friends of the Pomfret Public Library will present The Rage of Plum Blossoms – Book Reading and Publishing Talk by Author Christine Whitehead at 7 p.m. at the library. No registration. Free. 860-928-3475.
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present "Monthly Bird Walk" at 1 p.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Bring your camera. Free for CAS members; $5 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at 8:30 a.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Bring camera. Free for CAS members; $5 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Sat. Jan. 21
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present "Winter Wildlife Tracking Workshop" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Dress for weather. Bring water, lunch and snack. Registration required. $50 for CAS members; $60 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Soup Fund-raiser
WOODSTOCK --- The Putnam Masonic Lodge 46 will present an all-you-can-eat soup dinner and made to order grilled cheese sandwiches from 4 to 6 p.m. at the lodge on Rt. 169. $8. Benefits our Woodstock Academy Educational Awards.
Workshop
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret on Day Road will present a Wildlife Tracking Workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. $50 for CAS members and $60 for nonmembers. Registration required: 860-928-4948.
Wed. Jan. 25
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at noon starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Free for CAS members; $3 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Thur. Jan. 26
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a walk at 8:30 a.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Bring camera. Free for CAS members; $5 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Sun. Jan. 29
Acorn Adventure
WOODSTOCK --- The Last Green Valley Ranger Marcy's Acorn Adventure - Eagle Search & Lake Visit will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Roseland Park. Snacks, eagle info, Acorn Adventure stickers and fresh air fun included. Dress for the weather, and bring a friend. Free. All welcome. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Nature Program
HAMPTON --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present "Winter Writing Workshop: Nature Writing - A Walk with Edwin Way Teale" from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Trail Wood off Kenyon Road. $10 for CAS members; $20 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Mon. Jan. 30
Library Program
POMFRET --- The Friends of Pomfret Public Library will present “Creative Writing For Adults” with Christine Kalafus at 7 p.m. at the library. Free, but please register. 860-928-3475.
Sat. Feb. 4
Dinner Dance
WOODSTOCK --- The Day Kimball Hospital Woman’s Board will hold its Valentine Dinner Dance fund-raiser at The Mansion at Bald Hill. Checks may be made out to Woman’s Board Day Kimball Hospital. Please send to: WBDKH, 37 Tunk City Road, Danielson, CT 06239.
Sat. Feb. 25
Historical Collaboration
SOUTHBRIDGE --- The Last Green Valley will present “Historical Collaboration in the Last Green Valley” from 1 to 3 p.m. at Optical Heritage Museum on Crane Street. Snow date is Feb. 26. RSVP: 860-774-3300.
Fri. May 12
Golf Tournament
PUTNAM --- The Killingly-Brooklyn Rotary Club will hold a golf tournament at Connecticut National Golf Course. For more information call 860-428-7661.
YMCA sets
enrollment
PUTNAM — Enrollment is open now for early childhood, youth development, teen and adult programs at the YMCA of Greater Hartford. Classes begin Jan. 9. ghymca.org and find your location and a complete guide to what’s happening at your local YMCA.
Leadership
training program
is scheduled
PUTNAM — PRIDE announced a continued collaboration between Putnam and Griswold PRIDE coalitions, the Student Leadership Training Program (SLTP), Putnam and Griswold Public Schools. PRIDE is sponsoring the SLTP to conduct a leadership symposium on Jan. 5, which will be hosted at the newly renovated Putnam High School. About 100 local youth will learn skills essential to leadership, academic achievement, and workplace success.
The leadership training will incorporate youth from the Putnam and Griswold Middle/ High Schools, and will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
PRIDE’s Romeo Blackmar said it is hoped that the training will get youth motivated for the coming year and helps prepare them to reach their full potential.
The training will be provided by staff from the Student Leadership Training Program, which sponsors leadership and conferences for adults and student leaders from all over the U.S. and Canada. The conferences are designed to increase self-understanding and confidence; foster development of leadership skills; to improve communication skills; and to define the role of student leaders. This is a “hands-on” experience, as the student leaders are involved in a practical laboratory style experience.
The SLTP was founded in 1990 and since that time more 10,000 student leaders have attended the program. Every summer SLTP provides youth leadership trainings at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass. Many area youth have taken advantage of the SLTP program as PRIDE continues to offer scholarships to area youth who benefit from the SLTP expertise every summer.
More information on SLTP can be found at www.sltp.info