Blackstone Valley Young Marines Named 'Unit of the Year' for Division One

The Young Marines youth organization named the Blackstone Valley Unit in Massachusetts the Division 1 Unit of the Year. The announcement was made at the annual Adult Volunteer Leaders conference held in Washington, D.C.

Under the command of Geoffrey Coffin, the unit meets in Milford, MA.

“I am very proud of our unit for having earned the honor of Division 1 Unit of the Year,” said Commander Coffin. “It’s not an honor that could have been achieved without the combined efforts of the Young Marines and the excellent staff who serves them. Our driving focus is always self discipline, self confidence, and building leadership skills.”

The division honorees are:

• Division One: Blackstone Valley Young Marines, Milford, MA
• Division Two: Col. Wesley Fox Young Marines, Sterling, VA
• Division Three: Lt. Alexander Bonnyman Young Marines, Knoxville, TN
• Division Four: Douglas County Young Marines, Parker, CO
• Division Five: Lapeer County Young Marines, Lapeer, MI
• Division Six: Columbia River Young Marines, Kennewick, WA

The Young Marines organization is divided into six divisions across the United States. Each Young Marine unit is led and guided by adult volunteers, some of whom have had careers in the military.

“Our unit has won Division 1 Unit of the Year for the third straight year which is pretty remarkable,” said Aimee Fagan, executive officer of the Blackstone Valley Unit. “This great organization gives kids the self respect and motivation to succeed in life. It’s a privilege to be part of it.”

The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501c(3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

Since the Young Marines’ humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 300 units with 10,000 youth and 3,000 adult volunteers in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Germany, Japan and affiliates in a host of other countries.

For more information, visit the official website at: http://www.YoungMarines.com.