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The Natchaug River Young Marines

By Liz Marsden

Imagine being handed 15,000 plastic Easter eggs, a few dozen bags of assorted candy, and some Scotch tape.  You now have all the basic ingredients for a successful Easter egg hunt – but the candy has to get inside the eggs, and the eggs have to be taped shut.  Fortunately for Our Companions, the egg preparations are handled in perfect assembly line fashion by the Natchaug River Young Marines (NRYM).  This year, the project took two groups of 25 volunteers just five hours total to complete.  Overseeing them was Joe Couture, a former U.S. Marine, honorably discharged, who lives in Dayville and has been a volunteer staff member for the NRYM for over four years.

The NRYM is one of over 300 Young Marines chapters with 16,000 members both in the U.S. and overseas.  Founded in 1958 in Waterbury, CT, the YM is a youth education and service program for boys and girls, ages 8 through completion of high school. Their website states that “The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members and focuses on character building, leadership, and promotes a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.”

Joe and his NRYM unit began volunteering for Our Companions more than two years ago.  His wife, Deb, is also a volunteer with OC and saw the opportunity to get the NRYM involved with the Easter egg hunt.  More than 60 Young Marines took part in this year’s event, including the egg preparation and helping at the event itself.  Joe said that the Easter egg hunt is a popular activity for his unit, and kids ask to be assigned to it as part of their required 50 hour annual minimum of community volunteer service.  Joe reports that many members of his unit surpass the minimum, with most completing 75-125 hours.  His unit stays busy all year round doing yard work, house painting and other necessary work for veterans, special-needs group homes and are available to assist other community-based organizations. They also march in local parades and perform flag ceremonies on a regular basis.

Based in Eastern Connecticut just a few miles from Ashford, the Natchaug River unit is looking forward to getting more involved once the OC sanctuary opens.  “I have a feeling we’ll be there doing lots of work around the facility,” Joe says.   
For more information on the Natchaug River Young Marines, please visit:  http://www.natchaugriveryoungmarine.com.

Click here to see photos of the 2011 Farmington Miniature Golf Course Easter Egg Hunt.

Previous Volunteer Spotlights

April 2010 - Caroline Gaetano
March 2010- Carol Noyes
January 2010- Cathy Ferreira
November 2010- Gina Hoag
October 2010 - Helene Kapelewski
August 2010 - Lisa Ireland
May 2010 - Regina Radzicki
April 2010 - Veteran Volunteers
February 2010- Mandy Wieting
December 2009 - Pat McGuiness
October 2009 - Risa Davidson
August 2009 - Deb Soricelli
June 2009 - Henry Petrofsky
March 2009 - Jacquie Roy
Dec 2008 - Gretchen Labau
Sept 2008 Todd Johnston
July 2008 Lyn Garson
May 2008 Daryl Carbone
March 2008 Sue King
Jan 2008 Jon Phillips