PROBATIONERS ASSIST WITH MAPLE SUGAR DAYS FESTIVAL SET-UP

Thirty probationers assisted the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) with the set-up of the annual Maple Sugar Festival at the Brookwood Farm in the DCR Blue Hills Reservation this month which is Maple Sugar Month in Massachusetts.

The preparation work helped ready the site for the children and families who turned out for the event. This is the fourth year the Massachusetts Trial Court Community Service Program has assisted the DCR.

“In addition to fulfilling their obligation to the Trial Court, the offenders get a chance to help and give back to the city, town or non-profit agencies that we service statewide,” said Walter Skinner, Norfolk County Court Service Coordinator.

Skinner added, “With the economy affecting staffing and funding and non-profits’ operational needs, it’s a win-win situation for all.”

The offenders, assigned to four work crews, performed a total of 120 hours of community service as ordered by the court. The Maple Sugar Days event featured the collection and cooking of raw maple sugar, an instructional session for children as well as games. The other festival highlights included a large bonfire.

“Without the help of the Community Service crew, it would almost be impossible to pull off,” said Tom Bender, a Park Ranger and organizer of the two-day event.

Among the duties probationers performed were the splitting and stacking of firewood for the sugar cooker, hanging and collecting buckets of raw syrup from trees throughout Houghton’s Pond, Brookwood Farm and the Ponkapoag Golf Course. Crew members also stacked firewood in the barns, set-up tables and chairs and piled brush and trees for the bonfire.

(Photos by Lisa Hickey, Community Service Assistant Statewide Supervisor)