Community Corner

Trail Restored Between Irene and October Snowstorm

Life Scout Nick Matousek talks about how his Eagle Scout project soared despite fallen trees, a hurricane and an unexpected snowstorm.

Nick Matousek's Eagle Scout project could not have been scheduled at a more crucial time, coincidentally falling in between hurricane turned tropical storm Irene and the Oct. 29 snowstorm.

The Avon High School junior had pushed back the start date of restoring Chidsey Brook Nature Trail near Avon's Pine Grove School due to a Boy Scout trip. Upon his return, hearing media hype about the approaching hurricane made him nervous as he thought about its proximity to the planned Aug. 26 groundbreaking.

"The first thought to come to me was this is going to be devastating. Every tree is going to fall across the path," said Matousek, who is currently a Life Scout as a part of Unionville Boy Scout Troop 170, which is part of the Mark Twain district.

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Yet there was minimal damage to the trail, where Pine Grove classes will go to learn about nature. A large tree fell across the trail head, along with a smaller one that a handsaw could cut through. Brush was blown on the trail.

"It started raining halfway through the project," Matousek said of the first Friday.

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In addition to clearing the trees, Matousek and many volunteers trimmed back shrubs on the trail, which has grassy and wooded sections. They also raked the trail.

He and an even bigger crew resumed work the following weekend, completing trail clearing, raking and trimming. His father, William helped him construct a footbridge, which they installed over a trail gully on Oct. 1. Unionville's Sanford & Hawley, Inc. donated and delivered the materials.

Matousek and his mother, Katherine, a member of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department, returned on Oct. 8 to paint and revarnish two trail signs.

His advisor Penny Coppen did a walkthrough of the site and declared it completed the last week of October.

But leading up to Oct. 29, there was mention of another storm, this time yielding snow. There was less pre-storm news coverage than before Irene, Matousek said, so he didn't think as much of it.

"We were a little worried," Matousek said. "We didn't know how bad it would be."

When it became evident that the snowstorm was severe, Matousek's thoughts trailed back to Chidsey Brook.

"Everyone was thinking, 'oh no, the trees are going to fall all over the trail,'" Matousek said.

And they were right, as 10 trees fell. He and his family went back to the trail and chainsawed all of the wood in order to clear it.

"I wanted to take a chop at it," Matousek said. "In terms of having to clear brush out of the way, it was worse than the first weekend."

The Eagle Scout Project is a component of what the boy scout district's council reviews before promoting Life Scouts to Eagle Scouts, so Matousek is awaiting formal approval of his project, which he has been planning since February 2011.

"It was a very enlightening process...." Matousek said.

A $50 contribution from Avon resident Chuck Bashaw, who is regularly active in helping the troop, funded most of the project.

"That really helped in providing for varnishes and food," Matousek said, noting that the total project expenditures amounted to about $60.

Matousek had about 20 volunteers helping him, including the Howard, Kirk and Blessing families, parents, other members of his boy scout troop and fellow students in Avon High's Student Initiative Group. He said that troop Scout Leader Bill Benson and Unit Advancement Committee Leader Tom Sharr were particularly helpful in advising him, as well as Avon resident Karen Comber.

"It was worthwhile," Matousek said. "It benefitted the school."

Matousek had orginally hoped the project would be done mid-September for the elementary school students to utilize and with the winter season nearing, he said that it might not be available until springtime.

However, it is open and with the recent warm streak, there might be some time.


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