Tradition! Scouts return to park

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on December 05, 2008

They're baaaaack: Two local Boy Scout troops are once again selling Christmas trees from Kendrick Park, starting this past Saturday.

But unlike last year, when Town Manager Larry Shaffer imposed a controversial $1 fee for every tree sold on the town-owned plot of land, the scouts this year will not be taxed.

Shaffer said last week that the town will not seek any donation from the Boy Scouts for use of Kendrick Park. "We have no arrangement at all," Shaffer said.

This comes after a decision of the Kendrick Park Committee, which earlier this year agreed to allow Troop 500 in South Amherst and Troop 504 in North Amherst to continue using the land for an additional year. This "interim use" will be allowed until the committee completes a study and makes recommendations for the park's future use.

Troop 504 Scoutmaster Lyle Denit said he appreciated the committee's decision to permit the more than 50-year-old tradition to continue.

"The committee was very gracious in hearing from townspeople and granted us another year at Kendrick Park," Denit said. "We are grateful for the opportunity."

The scouts and their parents set up last Friday and began selling trees the day after. Denit said the aim is to sell 800 Christmas trees, which include three different kinds of trees cut from W.D. Cowls property and from a Vermont tree farm. The sale of the balsam firs, Douglas firs and spruces will last until Dec. 24, or when the trees run out, whichever comes first.

The proceeds from the sale, which usually comes in around $8,000, is divided equally between the troops and is used for awards and badges, camping equipment and cooking gear, various outings and sponsorships for camps. Denit said the scouts made about the same amount of money last year, even when additional donations from various groups were factored in.

Shaffer said the only requirement this year for the Boy Scouts will be having an insurance certificate to make sure there is coverage should anyone be injured while on the town land.

Other stipulations are that daffodil bulbs planted at the southern end of the common for the town's 250th anniversary not be disturbed and the grass not be used as a parking lot for customers. "With the wet weather, we don't want the turf chewed up," Shaffer said.

The issue of charging private, nonprofit groups for use of Kendrick Park could come up in the future, but if it does it will first be studied by the committee.

For this year, those who have purchased their trees from the Boy Scouts in the past should see a familiar sight.

"All of our plans at this point will look the same, and the kids will be there to help," Denit said.