In the News
Amherst Twin Brothers are Eagle Scouts (Amherst Citizen, April 13, 2010)
Amherst – Two Scouts in Amherst Boy Scout Troop 613 recently distinguished themselves by attaining the rank of Eagle. These two scouts also happen to be twin brothers who reside in Amherst. They are Matt Hunt, and Mitch Hunt. They are both currently sophomores at Souhegan High School.
Each did their Eagle Scout project for Opportunity Networks, a non profit located in Amherst that services mentally handicapped adults. These adults range in age from their early twenties to their sixties, and many have Downs Syndrome or other developmental issues, including several who have severe brain injuries. Opportunity Networks services over sixty clients at their Amherst location.
Matt and Mitch volunteered at Opportunity Networks in April 2009 as part of a volunteer day with their 9th grade team at SHS. Both saw the clients there as an underserviced area of our population. This in turn led to the boys contacting the Executive Director, Rocky Morelli, and putting into play their ideas for their individual Eagle Scout projects that they thought might best benefit the clients at Opportunity Networks.
Matt built a reading center for the center and held a book drive to fill the shelves with books that these very special adults could enjoy. He led his fellow scouts from the initial fundraising aspect of his project (a rummage sale) to the building and instillation of the reading center, which was comprised of a two-person build-in desk, and a three section book shelf. He was able to fill the shelves with books and also completed the reading area with an area rug, two desk chairs and two media rockers for that the area would be inviting.
Mitch found another desperate need at the center: an area for the mentally handicapped adult clients to get some much needed exercise. His idea was to construct a built-in entertainment unit that would house a Wii fitness set, television and a DVD/VCR. He also completed the area with donated exercise equipment, exercise mats and balls, and a collection of workout tapes and hand weights. Mitch led his fellow troop members from the initial fundraising aspect of his project (a Krispy Kreme donut sale) through the building and installation of the fitness center.
In the News
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