As the winter melted away and spring approached, the Groton-based Sea Scouts held an open house April 6 at the U.S. Veterans Base in Groton. Skipper of the Sea Scout Ship Dragon (SSS 584) Marshall Parsons reports that the program is branching out and seeking new faces to get involved in its activities.
Sea Scouting promotes character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. According to its Web site, “Sea Scouting is a youth development program for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age. Part of Venturing, its purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.”
“At the same time, we know that the program must satisfy the desire for fun and adventure,” Parsons added.
Based in Groton, the Sea Scouts will host another open house on Monday, April 21, at the U.S. Submarine Veterans Base, 40 School Street, Groton, from 7 to 9 p.m. The event will again provide information about the organization and explain its upcoming Pine Island Cleanup, on Sunday, May 4. The scouts’ Web site, http://subvetsgroton.org/seascout/default.aspx, states that the event is co-sponsored by ShopRite Supermarkets. The Sea Scouts will be a part of ShopRite’s Earth Day mission to promote civic engagement, broaden the meaning of environment, and mobilize communities.
The Sea Scouts will be rowing as a group to Pine Island to spruce it up, supporting the local John Gardner Chapter of the Traditional Small Craft Association.
“Because of the warm invite from the local John Gardner Chapter and our similar interest in small-craft boating, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to get our youth out on the water,” Parsons said. “Getting their sea legs and a taste of the water will be just right for the new crew members who have joined us during our open houses.”
Parsons said he looks forward to the adventure the scouts will have rowing out to an island in search of trash and treasure.
“I feel it is exciting to be a part of something much bigger than ourselves,” he noted.
For more information about the Sea Scouts, send an e-mail to twinpars@earthlink.net or call Marshall Parsons at 860-448-1215. To view pictures of the scouts’ last cleanup, visit www.tsca.net/johngardner/pine_island2001.htm.