In 2003 a Number of Ashburnham citizens formed a group to address two problems.  The first was the condition of the memorial for William J. Bresnahan, a Marine, and an Eagle Scout, from Ashburnham that was killed May 26, 1967 fighting for his country in the Vietnam War.  The second problem was the deteriorating condition of the scout house building on River Street, near the center of town.

SINCE THIS TIME THE William J. Bresnahan Scouting and Community Center Building Committee, appointed by the Selectmen, have been involved in numerous fundraising efforts, including raffles, memorial brick sales, dinners and yard sales, Hamburg and hot dog concessions, to raise the monies to erect a new building and establish a more fitting memorial for PFC Wm. Bresnahan.  We have not taken any funds from the Town of Ashburnham.

Our small town has always had a large Scouting community,  and a wonderful group of leaders, but the scout house use for meeting was deteriorated by powder post beetles that ate away the main supports of the building.  The building was inadequate without bathroom or heat, but it was their very own. And they were happy there, until it was unsafe for them to be there. We hoped to have a center built for this year, but the economy bottoming out has made this an uphill battle.

We are a committee of thirteen people known as The Wm. J. Bresnahan Scouting and Community Center Inc., bonded together for the sole purpose of preserving the scouting way of training our young Americans.