I don’t know how this is new information to me! It recently came to my attention that Tyler Careau, 17 years old and a lifelong Westminster resident, is working on his Eagle Scout project – – which is conceptualizing, fundraising and working with the general contractor in the design/build process for the construction of a 20’ x 30’ permanent pavilion at the VFW Post 7389 in Westminster.
I’m excited to share this Q&A with Tyler, and hope that you’ll join me in financially supporting this hometown effort and getting it over the finish line! Have you been positively impacted by the VFW and all the local initiatives they support, or maybe you have a veteran in your family who you want to honor or memorialize? Send your tax-deductible donation to the mailing address below.
Want to donate? Mail a check:
VFW Post 7389
Attention: Pavilion Eagle Project
P.O. Box 388
Westminster, MA 01473
The project cost is just over $50,000, and the fundraising efforts have yielded $43,000 as of August 2026. Read on, share this with anyone who might be interested and help me promote the completion of this project! Any questions? Email Tyler at vfwpavilioneagle@gmail.com.
Here’s my Q&A with Tyler Careau.
For readers who aren’t familiar with scouting, can you explain what it means to be going for your Eagle rank, and why an Eagle Scout project is such a big deal?
The rank of Eagle Scout is the absolute pinnacle of the scouting program. It requires years of dedication and fun experience as well as developing life skills to achieve. Out of all Boy Scouts who ever join the program only 2% ever reach the rank of Eagle. For requirements you must complete the previous six ranks in the order of Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life. These ranks in itself are the meat of the scouting program and teach you all the basic skills a scout would be expected to have. As you reach the later ranks, it starts to focus more on the leadership and communication skills that I feel set scouting apart from other extracurriculars and develop the most maturity and responsibility in participants.
The Eagle Scout project is the climax and test of all you have learned and using that knowledge to benefit the community around you. You must benefit a non-profit in your community with change or item or in a lot of cases building that helps that organization. I have seen projects like landscaping and terraforming small areas or creating tables and handicap ramps but it does not have to be built. Another Eagle Scout helped with a historical society and professional brochure for the town. No matter what you complete, the skills and personality you continue to develop in addition to the people you meet is universal in all projects.
How long have you been in Scouting, and what’s kept you in it all these years?
I have been in the scouting program for almost a decade, starting all the way back in 3rd grade Cub Scouts, but scouts can start as early as kindergarten all the way up until age 18 or even 21 in some other branches. While there have obviously been some bumps in the road, both my love and enjoyment for the program as well as the people I have met has kept me in as long as I have been. Whether it be having fun with my friends in the early days to developing leadership qualities and giving back to both the community and the younger generation, to giving them the same experiences I have, has been what kept me in this program.
Do you have any family connection to the military or veterans that made this project feel personal to you?
My grandfather was a Navy Vietnam veteran and many troop leaders are military affiliated. That close familial bond was not what made me choose to support veterans as much as having them support the troop and meeting all the amazing people that need the VFW and love it is why I supported it.
Why did you want your project to serve the VFW specifically?
The VFW supported the troop as a meeting location for my years in scouts. I have also helped them over the years on days such as Memorial Day where I have held the banner for their organization. But, ultimately, I saw how often people were over there and how much all of the people at the VFW do for this country and community and really wanted to just help support them.
Before landing on the pavilion, what other project ideas did you consider?
I had considered trying to put up bleachers or maybe doing a food drive or even some trail work at Hager Park but none of those ideas really resonated with me like the pavilion did.
What made the pavilion stand out as “the one” — even though it’s a much bigger undertaking than a typical Eagle project?
The pavilion stood out due the cause and inspiration behind it. The day the idea came to me was 2 years ago on town wide yard sale day when the VFW was forced to rent a tent to put up to stay out of the rain and I figured why make them do that every year. I also thought it could help them with fundraising and maybe even solve one of their biggest issues, the Memorial Day parade layout. For many years, many veterans have had to sit out of the parade due the Academy Hill being physically impossible for them to climb. The hope is to potentially turn the parade in reverse, starting on Academy Hill and ending at the VFW for their chicken BBQ and other traditions.
Did anyone try to talk you into picking something smaller or easier? What made you stick with this one anyway?
While this project has been an enormous undertaking, I had plenty of time left before I was 18. Smaller projects, while respectable, never really felt like the perfect book end for my scouting career.
I wanted a project that I could someday take my kids to and say look what I accomplished. I also wanted to set an example for the future of this troop.
What actually goes into planning a project like this — permits, drawings, approvals. What did you not expect going in?
To be honest, I knew next to nothing going into this project. Going in, I thought the steps would be raise the money, contact a contractor, describe what I was looking for with a drawing and pay for the pavilion but I could not have been more wrong. As for initial estimates, we thought this project would be $10,000 cheaper than what it actually was. I also did not and do not fully grasp the sheer size of the undertakings and steps such as structural review and approval or the permit process or even the paperwork and communication skills that go into a project like this. Considering I am still learning day by day and stepping into the contractor world for the first time ever, I feel I have met the challenges very well with my very optimistic outlook. It has already, and will continue to do me good going forward.
What’s been your biggest win so far in this process?
It all has honestly been small wins throughout this project. Every small step requires the proper research and understanding of something completely new to me so everything has honestly felt like a huge win so far. Nothing will feel better than standing under it when it is complete.
Is there a moment where you thought, “Wow, this is actually going to happen”?
Not really, once there are the funds that confidence will be there but until then I continue to stay cautiously optimistic of the next hurdle we will cross.
Who has surprised you most with their support — whether that’s a person, a business, or the community as a whole?
The support of my family and friends, both inside and outside the scouting program, this amazing Westminster community, and my general contractor, Jeremy Canneto, have all been amazing. I 120% would not be anywhere close to where I am today without even one of them.
What’s a skill you’ve had to learn on the fly that you never expected an Eagle project would require?
Contractor-speak and understanding their world.
What’s the most frustrating or difficult part of fundraising this much money?
Never knowing if it is enough until we’re done has been frustrating. Due to current events, the market fluctuates heavily and until very recently we were left to guess and hope on our fundraising efforts and never had a set number to hit.
Is there a step in the process — permitting, structural review, contractor bids — that’s taken way longer than you thought it would?
The structural review took months of painful waiting and feeling almost as if there was nothing we could do. We got through the wait and in some ways it was a blessing in disguise allowing me to focus on the ever challenging junior year of high school.
How do you stay motivated when progress feels slow?
Getting Eagle and knowing I have a whole town behind me helped me to never think about giving up. I have always said it was never a matter of if, and only when, I achieve Eagle Scout.
What would you tell another Scout who’s about to start a big project like this, about the parts nobody warns you about?
Trust in your connections and community and never be afraid to ask for help as you will never know everything about the project.
What do you hope this pavilion means for local veterans once it’s built?
An extra added place to host events and further expand their impact on this community. In my opinion, they deserve our support more than anybody.
Are there specific events or town traditions — Memorial Day, veteran breakfasts, community gatherings — you picture happening under the new pavilion?
As said before, the reversal of the parade would be the biggest thing but also bands playing out into the field or outdoor seating to their many previously mentioned events or even a venue for a birthday party is all possible but one the biggest beauties is that the pavilion will be a blank canvas of opportunity for their organization.
What has working with the VFW Post 7389 community taught you that you didn’t expect to learn?
Veterans are some of the best and most unique people you will ever meet and talk to and if you ever get the chance do it because you will always be in for an amazing conversation.
Where are you financially as far as what amount of money raised to date and what will push you over the finish line?
We are very close to the finish line and have $43,000 raised due to our efforts and the generosity of this town and we only need another $9,000 to finish the job. What will get us over the finish line is some final donations as well as donation of material from companies in the area. Any funds that exceed what we need will stay with the VFW’s funds for its future upkeep and their other endeavors.
What still needs to happen before the pavilion is finished?
We need to finish the fundraising and permit paperwork and then it will take approximately 1-2 months to build. We hope to be completed in Fall 2026.
How can people reading this help right now, whether through donations or something else?
You can donate if you would like by mailing a check payable to VFW Post 7389, Attention: Pavilion Eagle Project and send it to P.O. Box 388, Westminster, MA. Personal donations are incredibly helpful but also if you happen to be connected to a bigger company and they are potentially interested in donating you can email me at vfwpavilioneagle@gmail.com and I would love to send a letter detailing donation details for larger companies as we are a non-profit and are eligible for tax deductions from your donation. If your donation exceeds the value of $500, your name or name of choice will be put on a plaque by the pavilion.
Once the ribbon is cut and you’re finally sitting under that pavilion, what do you think you’ll feel?
The most amazing feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment in my life as well as a giant weight off of my shoulders!
After you catch your breath from this project, what’s next for you — in Scouting or otherwise?
I may return to scouting in my adult years but this project would be the book end for my youth experience and I plan to focus on enjoying senior year of high school and preparing to go to college to become a teacher.
