Nantucket At Its Best

(Originally delivered in person during public comment at the Wednesday, December 18th, 2024 Select Board meeting, held in the Community Room of the Public Safety Facility)

To the editor: We see a lot in this room. If you happened to be in this room on Monday at 5:30 p.m., you got to see this room, in my opinion, at its absolute very best.

Several dozen boys and girls were recognized by our local Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack for their individual work and achievement in Scouting. In front of an audience of over 100 fellow community members, they stood tall and provided a shining example to us all.

Two Scouts in particular, Forbes Keating and Ben Zinser, were recognized for reaching the ultimate rank of Eagle Scout. Only 4 percent of Scouts go on to reach this rank. It is the result of years of personal effort and dedication alongside the steady and reliable support of their Scoutmaster, the other Scouting leaders, their Troop, their family and ultimately their community.

Sitting in this room that evening, it would be difficult not to be brimming with gratitude for Scouting's values.

Therefore, I would simply like to take a moment to congratulate all those who earned new ranks and badges, and importantly to thank Scoutmaster Jason Zinser, his fellow leaders, and all Scouts here on Nantucket for what they quietly and steadily go about providing to our young men and women and to this community.

I was reminded that evening that when the tenets of Scouting – Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent – reverberate within this room and within each of us, Nantucket truly is at its best.

Tucker Holland