Throughout the year, many Boy Scouts across Pleasanton are becoming Eagle Scouts, having completed all their scouting requirements and, most importantly, finishing a large-scale project to benefit the community.
Justin denBroeder, 16, is one of these students. This summer, he organized a concert series for the residents of Kottinger Place, a facility for low-income senior citizens located at 240 Kottinger Drive. But what sets his project apart, aside from the uniqueness of the idea, is that it’s not over yet. Yes, he already fulfilled his Eagle Scout requirement, but the concert series lives on with his mother, Nancy denBroeder, continuing the series throughout the year with help from the rest of the family.
“They’re just the sweetest people, and I’ve always loved seniors, which is why I’d like to continue it,” Nancy denBroeder said. “They just really loved it, and it doesn’t matter who comes to do what, or if they’re a great musician or not. It’s just that somebody took the time to come out. It’s something different out of their ordinary day and it makes an impact.”
Kottinger Place Administrator Susan Batchelder said the residents thoroughly enjoyed the series and she is excited that the denBroeders want to keep it going.
“They loved (Justin),” Batchelder said. “They embraced him and the family very warmly and they would love to see them more because they welcomed them into the family.”
The concert series started May 26 and ran for five consecutive weeks on alternating Saturday and Sunday afternoons, finishing June 30. Local bands and musicians donated their time to perform in the series with the band Sound Check kicking off the month.
Other performers included St. Innocent Orthodox Christian Church Choir of Livermore, keyboardist and vocalist Bea Mille, bagpipers Donna and John Willy, Boy Scouts Jason Borris and Eric Wilson on the trombone and keyboard, saxophonists Rhonda Gibbs and Michael Simmons and guitarist and vocalist Debra Knox.
Having a wide variety of performers from different segments of the community was part of what made the series such a success.
“Justin did a wonderful job of providing a wide variety of music from bagpipes to church music to rock ‘n’ roll,” Batchelder said. “By far the favorite in the crowd was the rock ‘n’ roll. It’s livelier, more youthful, and the residents can tap their feet to it and wiggle in their seats, which is just what they did!”
DenBroeder agreed.
“The first concert was a blues rock band and [the seniors] were digging it. They like the lively stuff,” she said, adding that all the music groups were fun and the seniors enjoyed them all.
From the beginning, the project was a family affair, with Justin directing his parents on what needed to get done and his younger brother Taylor, 13, who is also a Boy Scout, pitching in and earning 15 hours of community service.
“He was in charge, so it was interesting to be on other end, having him tell us what to do,” denBroeder said.
Justin started planning the series in December by sending out letters asking for donations and finding acts interested in performing. Local businesses Precision Auto and Pleasanton Metal Paint Works donated to Justin’s project, as well as individuals Dan Thompson and Roberto Orozco. Rising Loafer and Noland’s Cakes also donated food for the series.
“I did learn a lot about planning, starting early and how to get donations,” Justin said.
Although a great success, the concert series was not Justin’s first project idea. He struggled to think of something that would be a great service to the community, but also incorporate his other passions. At first, he considered doing landscaping at Kottinger Place. But, after mulling it over and talking with the managers at the facility, he came up with the concert series, seeing it as a way to spread his love of music.
A junior at Foothill High School, Justin plays tenor saxophone in the Foothill Marching Band and Wind Ensemble. He’s played the sax since fifth grade, a long time only surpassed by his commitment to scouting, having started as a Cub Scout in the second grade.
Now that the school year is about to start, he will be busy with band activities and academics, so while he will be involved with the ongoing series, his mother will really lead it.
“[Continuing the series] was in my mind right at the beginning,” she said. “How can you not want to continue it? … The people enjoyed it so much, and they would tell us that over and over again.”
No dates are set yet for the new series as denBroeder is looking for musicians and performers from the community to volunteer. She is hoping to have a performance about once a month, but is flexible and can work with anyone’s schedule, she said. And it doesn’t have to be musicians. Performers of any kind are welcome.
“The possibilities are endless,” she said. “They appreciate anything.”
Those interested in performing in the series or making a donation can contact Nancy denBroeder, 699-9966.
