Simsbury Boy Scout Troop 175 recently held a Court of Honor to award the coveted Eagle scout rank to three individuals. Troop 175’s newest Eagle Scouts are Rob Burke, Andrew Fletcher and Tristan Chambers.
Eagle Scout Rob Burke
Growing up in Simsbury, Rob attended Latimer Lane elementary school, where he joined Cub Scout Pack 174 in first grade. At age 10, he joined Simsbury’s Boy Scout Troop 175.
It was at Henry James that he was introduced to what quickly switched from an elective to a passion - woodshop. Woodshop and Scouting—these were two things that once Rob had started he wouldn’t stop. That He intends to continue his pursuit of woodworking.
Becoming an Eagle Scout is never a path that Rob thought he would take, but the longer he was in scouting, he realized that he too wanted to join this brotherhood.
For his Eagle project, Rob took two of his passions and welded them together in his high school woodshop, turning red oak boards into a super fancy filing cabinet for Saint Mary’s church organist.
Eagle Scout Andrew Fletcher
Spending all of his school aged years in Simsbury, Andrew attended Tariffville Elementary School, then Henry James Middle School, and finally Simsbury High School. At SHS, he was an Honor Roll student and a member of National Honor Society. He also rowed on the Simsbury High Boy’s Crew team for a total of eight seasons competing in events such as the Head of the Charles. Andrew’s hobbies include Otherwise playing guitar, sailing and snowboarding.
Scouting for Andrew began when he joined Cub Scouts Pack 175 and then crossed over to Troop 175 when he was 10. Many of his favorite scout memories come from the trips. He enjoyed the leadership snowshoeing trips and staying in all of the different White Mountain Huts, .the Block Island trips and Philmont National Scout Camp in New Mexico. One of his most memorable trips was the Allagash waterway trip canoeing from the St. Croix river bordering Maine and Canada to the Atlantic.
Andrew’s Eagle Scout project was for an organization which he had given a great deal of time and service to, the Simsbury Crew Team. He raised funds for and built a team uniform cabinet in the Simsbury Crew Boathouse. It had to be water-durable in order to last through intermittent flooding. The project de-cluttered the coaches’ office and made the uniforms more accessible and organized, plus it’s great to lean on.
This fall Andrew will be attending Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Eagle Scout Tristan Chambers
Tristan was born in the town of Charlottesville Virginia before moving to Avon with his family when he was two.
In third grade Tristan remembers seeing the Boy Scouts march in the Memorial Day parade and was convinced that joining scouting was for him. He started as a Tiger Cub with the Avon Cub Scout Pack 122, and I still have great memories of summer camp and making many friends – many of whom he still loves to hang out with today.
After fifth grade Tristan started playing lacrosse and instantly fell in love with the game. He has played lacrosse all the years since then, through the town league, the high school, fall league and pickup games. Also in fifth grade, he joined the Avon Boy Scout Troop. While a member of Troop 274 I progressed to the rank of First Class
During Middle school Tristan continued to participate in swimming, music, lacrosse, and Boy Scouts. In the summer before freshman year of high school he traveled with his good friend Dustin Nord and a group of seven scouts and leaders to the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. Of all his experiences hiking and backpacking, this trip truly made him appreciate nature and the outdoors.
Towards the end of freshman year in High School, Tristan joined Troop 175 in Simsbury, at the urging of fellow classmate Mike Vallen. He credits Troop 175 scouts and leaders for helping him completing his road to Eagle. Experiencing the outdoors with Troop 175 will live with him forever.
Tristan’s Eagle project was to install bleachers at the Buckingham Lacrosse Fields in Avon, thanks to the generosity of business and lacrosse families, and with the help of scouts, friends and family. The bleachers were his way of giving thanks to the Avon Lacrosse community for the many great memories and experiences it has given me.
A graduate of Avon High School, Tristan will be attending San Diego State University, majoring in Nursing in the fall.
