Scouts

Little Free Library Added to Scout House

Members of Troop 519 standing next to the Little Free Library.

East Providence Girl Scout Troop 519 built a “Little Free Library” at the East Providence Scout House located at 351 Willett Avenue in Riverside. Little Free Libraries are a global phenomenon. There are approximately 36,000 of them in 70 countries around the world. The Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that has been honored by the Library of Congress, the National Book Foundation and the American Library Association. The Reader’s Digest named them as one of the “50 Surprising Things We Love about America.” Each year nearly 10 million books are shared in Little Free Libraries. The Little Free Library at the East Providence Scout House has been added to the data base of Little Free Libraries. For more information, please visit littlefreelibrary.org.

This project was chosen to complete Troop’s 519 Outdoor Journey Take Action Project. Not only did the girls build the free library, but they also collected gently used books from friends and and family to stock it. They will continue to maintain and stock it. There are books for adults and children alike. Visitors are invited to take a book to read and then return it. They may also leave book donations as well. There is a guest book inside the library that guests can sign so that Girl Scouts can see how many visitors they have had and where the guests reside.

The girls would like to especially thank dads Mike Stawicki and John Crowe for their help and teaching them more woodworking skills.

Troop 55 Riverside News

The Scouts of Troop55 have been doing their part during the pandemic by staying home and meeting virtually for the last three months. Both the boy and girl troops worked on rank advancement, merit badges and even invited Mayor DaSilva to join us for a great question and answer session. Many Scouts took advantage of some online content by participating in Virtual Merit Badge sessions. The Troop also hosted a backyard virtual Campout in May complete with skits and songs. Scouts set up tents in their own yards and camped out overnight while connecting with each other on their phones and laptops. A good time was had by all.

The troop resumed its community service endeavors in June with two events. First, scouts helped remove invasive plants at Hunts Mills walking trails and then helped to beautify an outdoor garden space at Evergreen Nursing home. Scouts wore their masks, had temperature screenings and followed all the social distancing rules at these events. We hope to start having meetings outdoors very soon and gathering in small groups to have some fun.

While we are sad we won’t be marching in parades or attending Camp Yawgoog this summer, the scouts know they are doing their part to flatten the curve, protect our vulnerable family, friends and neighbors, and learning to have a positive attitude when life gets tough. This is what our scout oath and law teach us. These young men and women are living those values and persevering. Their adult leaders couldn’t be prouder of them!

Your son or daughter can join in the fun, too. For more information go to Troop55riverside.org or come check us out at one of our weekly Monday night meetings held at the Mason Lodge (located @18 Turner Avenue, riverside) @6:30 PM. We hope to meet you soon! ***(While we are not meeting at the lodge due to Covid 19 please reach out to us on Facebook or email one of our Scoutmasters for more Information about joining rduckworth@

troop55riverside.org, ccunha@troop55riverside.org )**

Pack 88 Cub Scouts Join Troop 1 Scouts BSA

Five scouts crossed over from Pack 88 to Troop 1 this spring.

Each of them took a turn crossing the ceremonial bridge.

Each spring Cub Scouts end their scouting season with a celebration and the oldest scouts (5th graders) get to cross-over into a troop to join Scouts BSA. Although this year looked different than originally planned, we weren’t going to let COVID take this rite of passage from our scouts. We had to be a little creative with this year’s Cross-over Ceremony which included one scout at a time being filmed crossing our mini bridge. The video clips were then edited together and shown at a virtual ceremony which all of the scout families could watch. The virtual ceremony also included pre-recorded messages from Troop 1 scouts and leaders, BSA’s Narragansett Council staff and the Cub Scout’s own siblings all wishing the scouts well in their new troop.

Troop 1 Seekonk wants to congratulate Finnegan, MJ, Mason, Paul and Oliver for receiving the highest award in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light. The Arrow of Light is the only Cub Scout patch that may be worn on the Scouts BSA uniform. All of the boys crossed over from Cub Scout Pack 88 Rumford/Seekonk. One of the last activities they completed as Cub Scouts was to make a time capsule which will be opened when they reach Scouting’s highest honor – Eagle Scout. They will surely have many unique stories to revisit in their 2020 time capsule!

For more information about Scouting please email us:

Cub Scout Pack 88 Rumford/Seekonk (Boys&Girls, Grades K-5):

Pack88.Cubs@gmail.com

Scouts BSA Troop 1 Seekonk (for Boys ages 11-17):

Troop1SeekonkMA@gmail.com

Scouts BSA Troop 9 Seekonk (for Girls ages 11-17):

Troop9SeekonkMA@gmail.com