From the Blackstone Valley Xpress
By: Amy Palumbo-LeClaire
When it comes to leadership, Sam Hearn, a Whitinsville Christian School sophomore, doesn’t mess around. The Eagle Scout candidate, inspired by his Dad (also “an outdoors guy”) recently volunteered 552 hours with the help of BSA (Boy Scouts of America) members. His ambitious project resulted in an in-kind donation worth $13,013 in time alone.
In Sam’s words: “I crossed over to Boy Scouts after receiving my Arrow Light in the fifth grade. I have learned so many life skills from camping and hiking with my Dad and siblings. The cap to be an Eagle Scout is at the age of eighteen. I’m sixteen and the ability to be honored as an Eagle Scout presents a bunch of opportunities moving forward. Working with younger scouts and being able to mentor them really makes an impact. There are a lot of values th
Sam Hearn installed monofilament fishing line stations for Linwood Pond – Photo courtesy Blackstone Valley Xpress
at I find important as a scout. I’ve learned a lot about becoming a better leader by working on committees and collaborating with others. You learn strategies for getting along.”
Hearn’s recent Eagle Scout project, titled Blackstone Valley Conservation (and currently awaiting review from the BSA Board) certainly tested his ability to get along with others while he led tasks at three different Blackstone Valley locations.
At Douglas State Forest, Sam and his team disposed of five full dump truck loads of debris, a fourteen foot trailer full of trash, over one hundred bags of trash, one hundred twenty five car and truck tires, boat parts, six televisions, seven mattresses, hundreds of pounds of rugs and carpets and other miscellaneous trash.
“It was challenging at times to keep the volunteers on task,” Hearn admitted. “I split them into groups and assigned them a job to stay focused.”
At Linwood Mill, LLC, Northbridge, Hearn worked with Owner Bill Giannopoulos and the DCR (Mass Department of Conservation and Recreation) for the approval of No Littering signs and the installation of two monofilament stations for the recycling of fishing line. Bill Donaldson, Store Manager of Koopman Lumber, Uxbridge, enamored by the scout, even stepped in to give him a discount on PVC pipes for these recycling units.
“I love the connection of the community around here,” said Bonnie Combs, Marketing Director for the Blackstone National Corridor, who signed off on a few of Hearn’s service hours. “I’ve seen a lot of scout projects. This one was impressive—the breadth of it.”
Hearn, a Varsity Cross Country runner and Track competitor who originally came up with the idea to design running trails at Purgatory Chasm (a proposal that was turned down) also cleaned up surrounding Linwood Mill trails in order to benefit hikers, runners, walkers, and bikers.
At Lookout Rock, of the Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park, Hearn and his team removed graffiti and restored the rock back to its original (natural) state by removing a blanket of sludge that had been cast over the stone many years ago. “I made sure the younger scouts didn’t have to look at the (inappropriate) graffiti by assigning them a different location. They didn’t need that in their faces. Now people can enjoy the rock in its original state.”
In regard to planning ahead for a project that spanned from September through October, 2016, Hearn was responsible for raising “project” money, setting up and confirming dates for work phases, and purchasing materials and supplies. Now that the project is complete, he claims to be satisfied and grateful. He cited in his Eagle Scout Service Project Report that “the most rewarding part about being the leader is getting to look back on the project and think of how, as a combined effort with volunteers, a worthwhile project was completed.”
The scout’s desire to clean up the outdoors and make the Earth a kinder, better place is a characteristic to which Sam Hearn, a High Honors sophomore who also happens to have survived two open heart surgeries – offers credit to two people who matter the most to him.
“My parents have helped me so much,” he said. “They’ve had my back through everything. Whenever I look at a problem and see it one way, they present so many opportunities and tell me the world is limitless. They let me pursue every opportunity of interest. I cannot emphasize enough how much they’ve done for me. They have opened my eyes to the world.” The Hearn family lives in Sutton.
As far as future plans for this soon-to-be Eagle Scout go, Sam Hearn, for now, has his eyes on medicine. “I have identified personally with medicine and would love to become a doctor. Cardiology and neurology are areas of interest for me. I see Eagle Scout leadership as an important part of that.”
Write to Amy at amyleclaire@hotmail.com