Austin Secor for his Eagle Scout project collected more than 34 pieces of musical equipment worth more than $8,000 to donate to foster children. (Photo submitted by Vincent Secor)
The Eagle Scout project by 15-year-old Austin Secor is literally music to the ears of the neediest children in Broomfield and the surrounding community.
Secor is a Boy Scout with Troop 337 and his family has provided foster care to dozens of children. He has a passion for helping foster children and that’s how he came up with his musical instrument idea for an Eagle project.
Over the past seven months, Austin has worked tirelessly to solicit musical instrument donations, get those instruments repaired and finally distribute them to foster children. As he explains, “Foster children don’t have anything to call their own — nothing. You can’t imagine how wonderful they feel to be given something that will actually be only theirs. I thought a musical instrument would be a wonderful gift, because not only would they be able to learn a skill, they would actually have something to call their own. And music should be an option for every child.”
Austin collected more than 34 pieces of musical equipment worth more than $8,000. Some of the instruments included a guitar, violin, flute, trumpet, trombone, saxophone and even a drum set. He received donations from good Samaritans who responded to fliers he posted on community boards across Broomfield and Westminster. Many of the instruments needed repair. Austin called metro-area instrument stores hoping they would donate their skills to fix the instruments. He was lucky to contact Scott Nason from Music Go Round in Littleton. Nason is an Eagle Scout himself and was so impressed with Austin’s project, he personally oversaw the repairs and refurbishment of all of the donated instruments.
On Nov. 1, Austin organized a distribution party hosted by Black Ice Martial Arts in Westminster. But he did more than just hand out the instruments to foster children, he also brought in musicians to teach a one-hour music lesson to children on their particular instruments. Austin also worked with local eateries who donated food for the party.
Austin said the project has been far more than achieving his last requirement for Eagle, the highest rank in Boy Scouts. He said his project is about giving foster children a brighter future. There are 4,200 foster youth in the state. He said, “These kids don’t get the same chances and have the same resources most youth do. This is an opportunity for these youth to fit in at school, to cope with what they have been through in their childhood and to fill a passion for music that could last a lifetime.”
Austin who will earn his Eagle rank with Troop 337, chartered by Broomfield United Methodist Church.
Submitted by Vincent Secor