Simsbury’s Fourth Annual “Pen-a-Thon” Honors Veterans

Each year in honor of Veterans Day, Simsbury High School (SHS) opts to honor those who serve in a very special way, with a “Freedom Pen-a-Thon” that lasts 22 hours, from 4PM on November 7th through 2PM the next day.

The idea for the pen-a-thon originated with Coordinator of Technology & Engineering Education Kurt Dougan, who wanted to shine a light on those who struggle once returning from active duty. Two SHS graduates and former military servicemen, Matthew Melanson and Colin Mulhaul, had passed away too soon. Sgt. Felix Del Greco was the first Connecticut National Guardsman to die in Iraq. Dougan was determined that the memory of each should live on. The personalized ball point pens also serve as a message to former and active military that the Simsbury community is thankful for their service.

Volunteer teams of students, faculty, staff and community members took shifts throughout the night. Participants were given “Freedom Pen kits” containing blocks of wood to be turned on lathes to transform them into pens. Experienced students manned each lathe to make sure that production ran smoothly and to ensure safety. The pens are distributed to active duty military units as well as retired veterans both here and abroad.

More than 300 pens were created during the event, and over $11,000 was raised, with donations still being collected throughout the upcoming holidays. Simsbury’s middle school, Henry James Memorial School (HJMS) has scheduled a fundraiser in support of the Pen-a-Thon on Thursday, November 21st. Local sponsors provided items for a silent auction. Sponsors included: Avon Prime Meats, Kane’s Market, Bicycle Cellar, New Hartford Diner, Burger Fi, Harvest Café, Yume, Ski Sundown, and Amici Grill. Nationwide sponsors included Walmart, Big Y, Starbucks, and NAPA. Donations will be sent to several veteran’s organizations: Veterans Oasis at Tunxis and UCONN/Waterbury, 22Kill, Achilles Freedom Team, and the Sergeant Felix M Del Greco Memorial Scholarship fund.

An exhausted but exhilarated Dougan paused for reflection at the conclusion of this year’s pen-a-thon. He observed, “So many times we only hear about the bad things related to this age group. We had over 400 kids in here doing good. People need to hear more about that.”

One of Dougan’s students, SHS junior Liam Derrick, spends as much time as he can in the Tech Ed wing at the high school. “It’s simple,” he said. “I enjoy Tech Ed. It’s a fun place down there.” And being involved in the pen-a-thon adds another dimension to his affinity for his chosen curricular pathway and passion. Said Derrick, “This is about empathy. Knowing you did something good for people who are keeping as free, fighting for us. It’s the least we can do.”

For an interview with Dougan and SHS students, please see the video, which was produced by Cigna, on the Simsbury Public Schools website