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Reaching Beyond Milford

By Adele Miller Staff Reporter/ Columnist · February 17, 2011

Bobby Gilmore of Milford pictured with Governor Deval Patrick as both participated in a day of community outreach, Project 351.



For many kids Martin Luther King Day is a Monday to sleep in and enjoy some down time, but for at least one student from each of the 351 towns in Massachusetts it was a day of community outreach. From Milford the student representative in Governor Deval Patrick's Project 351 initiative was 8th grader Bobby Gilmore.

Gilmore, who was selected by Superintendent Robert Tremblay and Middle School East Principal Craig Consigli, began January 15 bright and early as he joined other students from around the state as they were bussed to Brighton's Cradles to Crayons. Here the students were given name tags, t-shirts, and their assignments for the day. Both Governor Patrick and Lt. Governor Timothy Murray spoke to the students about the outreach project and what it means to help your community.

The students, who had only just met each other, were then off to their various work sites around the city. For Gilmore it was the Blackstone Elementary School. Working alongside a kid from Gloucester and another from Florida, Mass., Gilmore not only worked to paint murals with positive messages, but spent three hours forming friendships that have been able to grow over email and Facebook in the past month.

Gilmore, who is no stranger to community service as class president and a Boy Scout, said in a phone interview that he "has never done anything with this scope." From the experience, he has learned that "community service isn't something you should do out of obligation, but something you can want to do. It can be more than just work, it can be enjoyable and you can make friends."

Next on Gilmore's plate of community service is to wrap up a few merit badges and begin exploring options for his Eagle Scout project, to which he said, "any ideas are welcome."