Giving to others has given me so much!

  Holidays are often our favorite time of year, and it’s easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget about the less fortunate.  Working with YMSL this year really helped me to understand how much I have and am grateful for, and why it’s important to give to the less fortunate in and around our community. YMSL provided several amazing opportunities to help others this holiday season, like contributing over 100 turkeys for the Larimer Country Food Bank and donating toys to the Healing Warriors Program so veterans in Fort Collins could spread some Christmas cheer to needy children. We live in an amazing town full of giving people and charities, and as a member of YMSL, I’m proud to be a part of it.

  Last year, for my first philanthropy at YMSL, I had the opportunity to make and serve food for the homeless at Catholic Charities.  I think of Fort Collins as a wealthy area of Colorado but seeing how many people in our town needed help, really inspired me to do as much as I can for my community, from playing Bingo with the elderly at Good Samaritan, to re-doing the yard at The Learning House, to helping the team of Elderhaus move to their new location. It’s even helped me volunteer outside of YMSL. This December, at Rocky Mountain High School, my class collected gifts and clothes for a family in need at our yearly Adopt-a-Family event. My class adopted a family of seven that could not afford Christmas gifts or food for a Christmas dinner.  Together, we raised over $500 in gift cards, household items, and toys for the family!

  Working to help that family, and volunteering at charities around Fort Collins with YMSL, have been eye-opening opportunities for me. I realize how lucky I am, to have all I need and more this holiday season.  And I now understand why people often say it is better to give than to receive.  Giving to others has given me so much!

Vincent Nicholson

YMSL Fort Collins 

Communication Team

Tis The Season To Be Jolly

So as I sit down to write for the YMSL blog for the December newsletter, I feel overwhelmed by how many other things I need to be doing.  I feel STRESSED!  I am sure many of you feel about the same this time of year.  You may not even be reading this blog because there is no time for unnecessary reading right?!?  There is shopping to be done, meals to be planned, Christmas cards to be sent, Elves to be moved, cookies to be baked and a whole myriad of other items that need to be done in order to make the holidays “wonderful.”  Every year I promise myself it will be different.  Every year I say that I will slow down and remember what is important.  Every year I have good intentions.  

Earlier in the month, Luke and I volunteered for Dolls for Daughters.  We helped hand out gifts to families and kids who needed a little extra help over the holidays.  This event was good in so many ways.  For one, Luke and I got to spend the day together.  During this busy time, we forget to spend time and isn’t that what the holidays are really all about, spending time with those you love. Secondly, we were helping others.  It was simple. We stood behind a table and helped kids select a gift they may want.  It wasn’t strenuous or difficult but it was helpful.  Because of all the volunteers that gave of their time, tons of families walked away with a little something special. It didn’t happen with one person.  It happened because a bunch of people came together to help. Hopefully, kids walked away with a smile on their face and families felt a little lighter because they were able to give their child something over this holiday season.  And thirdly, it made me thankful, thankful for all that I have.  Thankful that this Christmas I can give gifts to my family. It made me thankful for the family I have and thankful that I am part of an organization that cares about serving their community.  

So as we count down the days till Christmas, I am reminding myself to spend time with those I love, look beyond myself for opportunities to help others, and be thankful for all that I have.  Because really isn’t that what it is all about?  This year I want to be different.  Merry Christmas! 

Emily Kesler

YMSL Fort Collins

Communications Team

Read the YMSL National Newsletter ... HERE!!

My Service Experience at the Larimer County Food Bank

The day I became a YMSL member, I wasn’t sure whether it would be interesting or enjoyable. I thought it was going to be very strict and formal; but after helping out at several philanthropies, I realized it was an awesome experience with amazing, outgoing people who really care about others.

My service at the Larimer County Food Bank had the biggest impact on me and made me realize how special it was to be in YMSL. When my brother Flynn and I and my mom arrived at the Food Bank, we walked through a big warehouse full of pallets piled high with food for people in need. They had us organize food into boxes in a very orderly fashion. I realized how much they truly care about what they are doing. 

An older woman who had seemingly spent many hours volunteering to sort food helped us figure out how to categorize foods and how to look for expiration dates. We needed a lot of help! She told us that someone had found a box of food that was over ten years old! (Later, when I toured the Food Bank during a Boy’s Meeting, our tour guide told us the oldest food they have found was a can of food from 1965!). I remember finding a bottle of pasta sauce that was a couple of years over the expiration date and feeling that this was pretty old.

It was nice to know that without doing what I did people wouldn’t be safely enjoying the food, and it lightens up my heart and makes me feel really good. At the end of the day we had emptied many bins and piles of unsorted food and we had a big pile of boxes full of food ready to feed hungry people. I walked out of the Food Bank with a smile on my face.

Very recently we went back to the Food Bank with YMSL to donate turkeys and have a tour of the facility. The thing that stood out to me (besides how huge their freezers are) was that they have a professional chef to make meals that are delivered to seniors, Poudre School District children, and other people in need. It was very surprising how so much food was donated.  Our tour guide told us that 95% of their food is donated by farmers and stores all across the country, and 80% of the food donated would be in a landfill without the Food Bank. Much of what would end up in landfills is “Ugly Food,” which is food that is not perfect but is still quite edible.

I was impressed by both of my experiences at the Food Bank, and can’t wait to volunteer there again.

Sam Wilder
Communications Team
Class of 2020

Confessions of a "Quote Junkie"

YMSL Blog Post

Lin Wilder, Communications

Mollie Ressler, Vice President of YMSL Fort Collins chapter, opened the first mom’s meeting on September 12th by writing five quotes on the whiteboard and leading a brief discussion of how each quote relates to our membership in the Young Men’s Service League.  I am a self-proclaimed “quote junkie” so I wrote each quote down and thought a lot about them. The following is what I took away from reading and discussing each of these quotes, with examples from my YMSL experiences so far with my sons Sam and Flynn.

1)      All experiences are opportunities for growth.

YMSL provides us with myriad opportunities to stretch ourselves outside of our comfort zones, learn and grow as individuals, and strengthen our mother-son bonds.  Sam, Flynn and I may never be quite sure what we are getting ourselves into when we show up at a new organization to fill a new role, but taking risks together has not only increased our confidence in ourselves, but also in each other.

2)      Each of us is greater and wiser than we think we are.

The older I get, the more I realize the truth of this quote, but young boys may not readily see themselves as wise or great.  When Sam, Flynn and I volunteered with Respite Care summer camp, I watched as they were each introduced to the camper that they were to be a “buddy” with for the rest of the day.  At first their faces were uncertain and they didn’t seem to know what to say or do. But they were wiser than they thought they were – before long they had found something in common with their camper and were talking and laughing like they had been friends forever.

3)      Each person we meet is our student and our teacher.

Not only is each person we meet our student and our teacher, but we also are all both givers and receivers.  Service to others returns more back to us in life lessons and a sense of satisfaction than we ever give.  When my sons and I arrived at the Food Bank for the first time to sort food, we felt rather overwhelmed with the mountain of unsorted food before us.  By the end of our shift, the mountain was reduced to a mere hill, and our physical tiredness was overshadowed by a huge feeling of accomplishment.

4)      Anyone’s journey is as unique and valuable as any other’s journey.

This may be one of the greatest lessons that can come from service to others – we meet people we might never have crossed paths with or paid attention to, and while they may be very different from us, we inevitably end up paying more attention to the ways in which we are alike.  Whether Sam, Flynn and I are swimming with children who have disabilities or shoveling landscaping rocks alongside YMSL boys from other high schools, questions are eventually asked and stories are told, and in this way our worlds become wider and more connected.

5)      Energy attracts energy.

Whether positive or negative, the energy that each of us puts into the world connects with others and attracts more energy.  When my boys and I volunteered at the Colorado Youth Outdoors summer camp, we were initially not sure there was much for us to do.  For a while we hung back, not wanting to do the wrong thing or get in the way.  Finally, we began to see small needs that we could fill, and we decided to just dive in.  The boys joined in with the campers and began to enjoy the activities with them, helping or guiding in small ways, but mostly just offering encouragement and positivity.  I started helping wide-eyed children remove fish from hooks, and ended up jumping up and down with the kids when they pulled in another wriggling fish.  As soon as my boys and I put our positive energy into the task, the campers responded by coming closer and asking for help or making conversation.  If we had held back, I suspect that the campers would have held back too.

Many thanks to Mollie for sharing these quotes with us, as each of them deepens the learning and growth that come from our experiences in YMSL.

YMSL: A Teen's View

YMSL is truly a unique experience. As a teenager in today’s world it feels like everyone is out for themselves, doing what benefits them. When I put on the shirt that says "Service Crew" on the back I feel like I get to step outside of myself and serve a community that needs my attention more than I do.

Just last month I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer with maintaining the Learning House, an organization that gives children an opportunity to get education at a young age who wouldn’t normally receive it. My contribution was repainting a fence that stretched around the outside area. Although my part seemed small in everything that was going on that weekend, I felt proud of the work I did. Whenever we drive by the Learning House I see the fence and can’t help thinking that I helped make that happen. There is really no other feeling like that. While most of my other friends were watching T.V or sleeping in, I was helping the community and gaining an experience that I will remember forever.

I think my favorite part of YMSL has got to be how it has brought my mother and I together. Near the end of middle school my mom and I had grown apart, it seemed like we had nothing in common and never did anything together anymore. She wanted me to do this thing she heard about from a friend called YMSL and my reaction was hostile at first, but she stuck with her gut and insisted we do it. I'm glad she did because it feels like every volunteer opportunity we take, we grow closer.  

Tyler Kimbell

Class of 2020 ~ Communications

YMSL 2020 Boys Meeting Summary

To kick off our meeting on October 9th we started with an ice breaker. The boys were asked questions like “What was your favorite childhood toy?” and “What was the best prank you have ever pulled on a sibling?” There were some really creative answers and it was a fun way to start the night.

After this, we jumped right into the meeting. Philanthropy Committee thanked us for putting many hours into volunteering at the Learning House. We also watched a video that showed all that we accomplished there.

Next, Life Skills talked to us about 8 things not to keep in your wallet. Some of these included Social Security Card,  a password cheat sheet, spare keys, checks, passport, multiple credit cards, birth certificate, and stacks of receipts.

After this informational presentation, Leadership Committee inspired us by talking about courage and what it meant to you. We also watched a video about courage. Towards the end of the meeting, two CSU students named Eddie and Matt came to talk to us about Civic Responsibility. We learned that this means to get involved and give back to your community. We had some really interesting discussion with both of them.

Overall, it was a very valuable meeting and we learned a lot. We hope to see you at our next meeting November 13th. Don’t forget to bring frozen turkeys.      

~Luke Kesler
Boys Communication team
Class of 2020

Civic Responsibility

Michael Field
Class of 2018, VP Communications

10/9/2016

                At our 11^th Grade Boy’s October meeting we defined civic responsibility as the responsibility that one holds as a citizen of the community and nation.  Muhammad Ali said that “service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth”.  In regard to Ali’s idea about civic responsibility, I believe that YMSL has always accentuated civic responsibility through its philanthropic involvement in our community.  With that being said, there is always room for improvement, and we can always look to expand our organization’s philanthropic efforts.  To do this, we must gain perspective.  Having the ability to understand the plight of specific groups and put ourselves in their shoes puts us in a position to best serve them.  The activity that we did at the meeting involved going to Sprouts to learn about the diet of a low income family of four.  The activity showed us the selectivity that the mother or father of that family would have to exercise while shopping to fit their budget.  This new perspective that we gained on the issue of feeding low income families better equipped us as philanthropists to approach our service with organizations like the Food Bank and Catholic Charities, and therefore improve our practice of civic responsibility.  Overall, the meeting showed me that the basis for civic responsibility is action; i.e., helping other people; but that empathy must precede any action in order to serve in the most effective way.

YMSL Moms and Sons:

Our Ultimate Gift 2016 - THE LEARNING HOUSE was successfully completed last weekend!  The preschool children, parents, and teachers at this non-profit preschool for children of all abilities appreciate our efforts in positively transforming their backyard and updating their entranceways.  Please look to our YMSL Website and click on the UG tab for before and after photos.

In summary:  A front entry porch was constructed and a back porch was rebuilt.  The fence around the entire property was power-washed and stained with 18 gallons of stain.  Additionally, a 12 foot portion of the fence was rebuilt and reinforced.   Grandma's Garden was replenished with new soil, new plants, a new sign, and a new border.  Batson's Farm was created for growing future pumpkins and sunflowers.  A basketball headboard was replaced and new toys, complete with a new toy chest, were purchased.  The landscape around the entire property was attended to including trimming bushes, trees, and adding rock and recycled concrete.  Our volunteers lined up for a photo with a new sign added to the property, as we celebrated the completion of our project with a cook-out hosted by The Learning House.

THANK YOU YMSL!  Our volunteers signed up for 306 hours, but we estimate the total number of volunteer hours to be closer to 497 hours because many volunteers stayed longer and we had several dads show up for many hours of work.  We also thank you for your donation of gift cards to Home Depot, Lowe's, and Walmart adding up to $1005.

The following businesses and organizations in Fort Collins have donated so much to make our project possible.  With our wish list gift cards, it is a Grand Total of $7,995.  Please remember these businesses when you need them in the future.  

NOCOUnify - $2000 grant

Owl Mountain Investments (Paul Brown - General Contractor  970-231-8100) - a gift of time, knowledge, labor, and equipment totaling an estimated amount of $1500

Heaberlin Lawn Care (Chris Heaberlin- Owner/Operator 970-988-0823) - a gift of time, knowledge, labor, and equipment estimated at $400

United Rentals (970-482-9999) - equipment rentals estimated at $500

The Home Depot  on JFK - Trex Deck estimated at $550

Pioneer Sand Company - railroad ties and soil estimated at $400

Hageman Earth Cycle, Inc. - 5 tons of glacier rock and free dumping estimated at $300

Lowe's Home Improvement - landscape edging and pins estimated at $150

Lindgren Landscape and Irrigation, Inc. - landscape fabric estimated at $140

Crystal Landscape Supplies Inc. - 5 tons recycled concrete estimated at $120

Gulley Greenhouse and Garden Center - flowering plants estimated at $75

Laura Torrisi - rain barrel estimated at $100

Lamar's Donuts and Coffee - most delicious donuts anywhere $300

Jimmy Johns - best Sub Sandwiches in Fort Collins $150

Pizza Casbah - best thin pizza in Fort Collins $150

Sprouts - healthy boxes of apples and bananas $75

Albertson's - $25 gift card

King Soopers - $20 gift card

Target - $20 gift card

Safeway - $15 gift card

If you have the time, ask for a manager, and mention how much we at YMSL appreciate their contributions.  We could not have done it without them.

Ernie and Mary Batson, Directors of Education at The Learning House, provided us with a constant supply of delicious food and snacks during the project.  They have thanked us for all of our hard work, but the best thank you was to see the preschool kids run out to play in their new yard at the LEARNING HOUSE!

~Annie Yeh, Ultimate Gift Chairman

Congratulations YMSL on Ultimate Gift 2016

At the 10th grade Boys meeting on Sunday, September, 11th, many important events took place. After attendance and name tags, the boys were able to learn how to successfully change a tire. This is a crucial life skill especially as the members begin to drive.
After learning how to change a tire, we went inside to conduct the rest of our meeting. With Little Caesar’s Pizza in our hands, we started the meeting. The President, Michael Yeh, headed a good meeting, with a great presentation about Ultimate gift, from Mason Unger and Ben Knauer and a solid speech on Wish List Items, by myself (Beau Van Der Sluys).
Then, we went into a boardroom with a TV. On the TV, we watched a video of how meaningless texting and driving can dramatically change the lives of many in an instant. Again, seeing as how driving is in the near future of our members, this was an extremely relevant video. Also, Tyler Campbell, Ryan Ressler and Casey Knutsen delivered a prodigious presentation on the Elderhaus and Good Samaritan philanthropies.
Finally, the members were able to get a preview of some of our new apparel including new sweatshirts, and three new types of hats.

~~~Beau Van Der Sluys, Class of 2019
Boys VP of Communications

Class of 2019 September Boys Meeting...

At the 10th grade Boys meeting on Sunday, September, 11th, many important events took place. After attendance and name tags, the boys were able to learn how to successfully change a tire. This is a crucial life skill especially as the members begin to drive.
After learning how to change a tire, we went inside to conduct the rest of our meeting. With Little Caesar’s Pizza in our hands, we started the meeting. The President, Michael Yeh, headed a good meeting, with a great presentation about Ultimate gift, from Mason Unger and Ben Knauer and a solid speech on Wish List Items, by myself (Beau Van Der Sluys).
Then, we went into a boardroom with a TV. On the TV, we watched a video of how meaningless texting and driving can dramatically change the lives of many in an instant. Again, seeing as how driving is in the near future of our members, this was an extremely relevant video. Also, Tyler Campbell, Ryan Ressler and Casey Knutsen delivered a prodigious presentation on the Elderhaus and Good Samaritan philanthropies.
Finally, the members were able to get a preview of some of our new apparel including new sweatshirts, and three new types of hats.

~~~Beau Van Der Sluys, Class of 2019
Boys VP of Communications

Join the Ultimate Gift Project at The Learning House

Join us this Saturday as we begin the prep work at The Learning House. Don't forget the heavy-lifting will happen next weekend, Sept. 24-25. Please sign up via SignUp Genius or just drop by ... we'd love to see everyone there.

Logging Hours, Meetings, and Wish List Credits

Please remember to log your service hours, meeting attendance, and wish list credits as soon as you can. If you remember to do this right away, you won't be short on hours or trying to remember months down the road what you may have done.

Here's a quick tutorial on how to do this:

First, log onto ChapterWeb - Go to www.ymslfortcollins.org and click on "Member Login." If you're a new member and haven't logged in, your user name is "firstname_lastname" and your password is "ymsl." After your first login, you're welcome to change your password.

1. Click on the "Hours" tab.
2. Click on the "Hours Submission" tab.
3. Be sure to click on the date of your service or meeting.
4. "Select Hours Type."  You will see in the screenshots below an example for wish list credit and meeting attendance.
5. Under "Select Members" just begin typing your first name and it'll auto-fill. Find your name and click on it.
6. Under "Select a Philathropy," or "Select Meeting Activity" use the drop-down menu to find the correct one.
7. Add a "Brief Description" in the next box.
8. Don't forget to hit "Submit."

Logging Boys' Meeting Credit

Attend 5 out of 7 meetings to meet your requirements.

Logging Mom's Meeting Credit

Attend 3 out of 5 meetings to meet your requirements.

Logging Wish List Credits

Each member is allowed 5 wish list credits a year; one  min. $10 gift card = 1 hr. of service.

We hope this post helps clarify what gets logged and how it's done. If you have any questions, please reach out to your sponsor or any Board member.

Welcome to the YMSL Fort Collins Blog

After some brainstorming and research by the Communications Committee, we have decided to retire our PDF newsletter and instead pilot a blog to deliver snackable size content that's mobile friendly.

We hope this new format will make it easy to scan and read the latest news from our chapter. We're always opened to feedback so don't be shy about either leaving a comment or emailing me at travelb@comcast.net.

In the meantime, let us know if you have any creative ideas for the blog name. We might just offer a prize for the winner.

Pam Cunning
VP Communications