MILLERTON — Taking both his community service and his responsibilities as a Boy Scout to heart, Avery Wickwire, 17, kept his eyes and ears open to the region’s needs this fall as he searched for a community service project he could undertake to earn his Eagle Scout rank.
A senior at Webutuck High School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 3029, he found the perfect project at the NorthEast-Millerton Library (NEML) Annex at 28 Century Blvd. in Millerton, when he heard there was a need for a food pantry there.
Leading his troop in a project that will benefit the community in a meaningful way, Avery has since been building shelves that will soon hold food and other essential supplies for community members in need.
Avery’s father, Webutuck art teacher Craig Wickwire, currently serves as a member of the NorthEast-Millerton Library Board of Trustees. Asked what first inspired his son’s community service project, Wickwire said he happened to mention the need for a pantry at the Annex to Avery while they were brainstorming project ideas. He mentioned the library was looking to renovate the Annex.
It was last spring that Avery said NEML Director Rhiannon Leo-Jameson expressed an interest in building a food pantry.
Avery said he showed an interest in the idea both as a project and as a means of distributing food to those who need it.
“I thought to myself, ‘The closest food pantry is at the church in Amenia, so a more local food pantry would be great,’” he said.
Avery met with Leo-Jameson to discuss it more at length and they soon came up with plans for building the shelf units.
“I think it’s great that he works so closely with Rhiannon,” Wickwire said, “and the library is always open to working with the community and trying to make the community better — however we can.”
As another important component in his son’s project proposal to the library committee, Wickwire said Avery expressed his interest and the local need for a place to pick up nutritious food and other personal care items, especially during the current health crisis when access to food and other necessities is critical.
“It means a lot,” Wickwire said when asked what his son’s project means to him personally, as well as a library board member. “We brought it up at one of the board meetings and all the other board members were instantly impressed he was working on the project.”
With Avery assuming the lead role, Troop 3029 started construction during the last weekend in September, cutting boards and fitting them into the small room once used as the book sale area in the Annex.
Due to positive cases of COVID-19 in the Webutuck school district, Wickwire said the troop had to postpone its work schedule. Otherwise, Avery said the project has been coming along nicely and the Scouts haven’t run into any problems, aside from an unexpected meeting or two held in the Annex.
At this point in time, Avery said he expects the project will be completed by mid-November.
“I’m really proud of the teens working on this project because they exemplify the very nature of selfless service,” said NEML Youth Services Coordinator Kristin McClune. “We’re honored that they chose the library to partner with and are excited that they can have a central role in helping us continue to serve our community members.”
Meg Sher, executive director of the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village.L. Tomaino 
