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Fitch Eagle Scout lends helping hand with street corner pantry
YOUNGSTOWN
Alex Mazon, a senior at Austintown Fitch High School, is using his Boy Scout Eagle project to lend a helping hand to financially struggling people in the Youngstown area.
Alex, with the help of his grandfather, Bob Horvath, and his uncle, Ron Horvath, both of Youngstown, built a Helping Hands food pantry and placed it at the corner of Market Street and Glenaven Avenue.
The food pantry is located on Community Corrections Association reclaimed and repurposed property near the bus lines and easily accessible to an area with a large concentration of lower-income families.
Alex, who has 41 merit badges and holds the rank of Life Scout, still has to face a board of review to become an Eagle Scout, the highest Boy Scout rank available.
“It was important to me to use my Eagle Scout project to do something lasting and important for the Youngstown community,” said the 18-year-old.
“I called the food pantry Helping Hands so that people will know that not only can they take items from the pantry, but that they can also add or replace items to help the next neighbor,” he said.
Alex is in partnership with the area block watch, Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley, and the Dollar General and Family Dollar stores in the neighborhood to help keep the pantry stocked with dry goods, canned foods and toiletries.
“I hope that the food pantry and the giving will last as long as there is a need for it, and that Alex can bring his children and grandchildren to this box and teach them about helping others in need. I’m extremely proud of Alex,” said his mother, Sue Mazon, who got him started in scouting 12 years ago so he could have male influence in his life after his father, Edward Mazon Jr., died.
Alex’s mother, who received a public relations/journalism degree from Youngstown State University and is manager of Angiuli’s Farm Market in Boardman, also took an active role in her son’s Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Venture Crew activities.
Alex is a member of Boy Scout Troop 9046 sponsored by Boardman United Methodist Church and led by Scoutmaster Eric Grabman.
“He’s a good kid who is personable and very mature for his age. He has shown strong leadership skills and I see a lot of potential. Whatever he does, he will be successful,” Grabman said.
Alex also participates in extra-curricular school and community activities.
He sings tenor in the Austintown Fitch Concert Choir; plays soccer in the Austintown Recreational League, and having had roles in school and amateur theater productions, plans on becoming an actor.