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On a cold winter day, eight MetroWest Fire Explorers and four adult advisors fed more than 50 Sherborn seniors. For the past two years, this group of young men and women have given up one day of their winter break to cook, serve and clean up at the Sherborn Council on Aging’s Thursday Drop-In Luncheon.
This year’s meal was a delicious chicken dinner with all the fixings: potatoes, stuffing, mixed vegetables, salad, cranberry sauce, gravy and pies for dessert. It’s no small task feeding this group, as they ate 10 chickens, 20 pounds of potatoes, four-five quarts of gravy and eight pies.
Carly Falone, spokesperson for the group, educated the seniors about who is eligible to become a Fire Explorer (any young man or woman ages 14-21), what they do (training and community service) and how the program prepares them for the future (learn how to work with the hoses and ladders, perform first aid, assist with searches). The group also does team building exercises and works on communicating effectively.
MetroWest Fire Explorers was started more than 20 years ago by Tony and Matthew Gemma, who saw a need to foster an interest in fire and rescue service. This group provides training and an avenue to explore potential careers while serving their communities.
The Gemmas are now aided by two more adult advisors: Thomas Falone and Richard Murphy. They educate and inspire 11 Explorers from Sherborn, Framingham, Holliston, Millis, Bellingham and Ashland.
The Sherborn Council on Aging is very grateful to these men and the young men and women of MetroWest Fire Explorer Troop 1438 for their service to the MetroWest and their good works in our community.
