Cub Scouts Perform Spring Planting at Holmdel Village School

For the past several weeks many people have been watching the weather and hoping for a sunny day on April 13, 2013.  The evening of April 12th saw a torrential storm pass through Holmdel and there was much anxiety about what the morning would bring.  The weather prediction called for good weather but there was still some apprehension.  All the watching and waiting and hoping paid off because at 1:00 in the afternoon on the 13th when the cub scouts of Pack 131, led by Cubmaster Dave Gestrich and Pack 331, led by Cubmaster Mike Nikolis gathered at Holmdel Village School to do their annual spring planting, they were greeted with warm weather and a sunny sky. 

Dave Gestrich arrived at Holmdel Village School with his car overflowing with flowers waiting to be planted.  After quickly unloading everything, the cub scouts and their parents went about the task of beautifying the school.  The parents and scout leaders were able to muster the Cub Scouts to efficiently complete the task of planting flowers at the front entrance of the school as well as outside of the second grade classrooms.

Holmdel Village School is the official “Adopt a School” for these Cub Scouts.  According to Gestrich, “Adopt a School is a Cub Scouting program where a Pack adopts a school and performs community service work for it”. He went on to say “The scouts in our packs have been doing work on the gardens at the school for a couple of years, and typically work on the grounds in the early fall and early spring each year.”   Continuing he said, ”Our thanks to Mr. Brian Schillaci, Village School Principal, and Mr. Bill Balicki, Head of Plant Operations, for enabling our group to work in the gardens, and to Vin Daniele for building and filling the new planters now installed near the 2nd grade wing of the school.   Also many thanks to Dina and Dean D'Ambrosi and Darlene and Andrew Kiss for donating the funds used to purchase the flowers planted around the grounds.  Another great community work done by our Cub Scouts! “

When asked for comment about the weekend planting at Village School, Principal Brian Schillaci said "What an amazing job the scouts did!  Many of them were so proud to report today that they had helped with beautifying Village School.  Thank you for your efforts in having the children work on this project."

 When all the planting was done and Dave was happy with the results of everyone’s efforts, he opened up a cooler that had been sitting in the background away from the prying eyes of the children.  Inside the cooler were ice pops for all the children to enjoy as a reward for all their hard work. And enjoy them is exactly what they did.