Banquet Speech: Luke Cunning

Welcome! The communications committee decided to dust off the YMSL Fort Collins blog, and for our first post of the 2018-2019 year, we're sharing Rocky Mountain High School senior Luke Cunning's speech from the banquet in May:

I would like to start by saying that when my mom first signed me up for YMSL I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had no idea how far it would take me or how much I would grow from it. After my first year I considered quitting because I kept telling myself “This is too much work” or “I don't have time to do this.” But despite this I decided to stay to make my mom proud. Needless to say I am grateful that I am still here standing in front of all of you today.

Since then I have realized that YMSL is more than just something I can do to make my mom proud, or even to have something to be proud about. It’s not about having something extra to put on a resume or college application. It’s not about spending time with friends, though I have enjoyed working with all of you these last three years. YMSL is about the people you help along the way and the connections you make with those people.

My fondest memory I have from YMSL is working on the ultimate gift project for the learning house. I was working on the stairs and the decks to the front and back of the house all day and not working on much else. By the end of the day I looked around and realized how much work had been done. In the span of only a few short hours of hard work we had managed to help the owners of the learning house with renovations that would last years to come. This also leaves an impact on all the kids who attend the learning house so they have a nicer place to learn and be kids. What I learned from this experience was that we can achieve great things when we work together.

YMSL has given me opportunities that I never would have thought possible without it. I would like to finish by thanking everyone here for working hard and making this year amazing. I would also like to thank all of the moms for supporting your sons and for always being someone to look up to.

Things I have Learned about my Mom while Volunteering with YMSL 

Things I have learned about my mom while volunteering with YMSL is that she has an undying need to see me NOT sleep on my days off from school & work. She believes that I will grow in ways that I still don’t yet understand through being a part of this organization and that through serving others & going to meetings, I will expand myself in ways I won’t even know until I’m older. I am normally interested in helping others, but she feels that I also need to learn other skills like communicating on a monthly basis at leadership type meetings with people I don’t ever see outside of these times. She tells me that in the future I will thank her for this time we spend together but in reality I already appreciate how she tries to get me to be the best person I can be. It’s been fun working with her at places I wouldn’t normally even know exist.

     I learned that while my mom came from the same places that many of these people we help come from, she has overcome many obstacles that I will  never even experience in my lifetime. I learn over & over again how proud I am of her and how much she loves me. Thanks YMSL for helping me know my mom better and for giving me opportunities to serve in our community.

Kenny Robinson 

Meet our New Members (2 of 5)

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Justin and Becky Kleen

Becky Kleen

Hometown: Fairmont, Minnesota
Hobbies/Interests: Skiing, hiking, and reading.
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: Teaching young children.
Name on thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Visit Australia.

Justin Kleen

School: Liberty Commons

Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, track, and skiing.

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: I’ve gone to Hawaii.

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Skydive.

Parker and Samantha Thurston

Samantha Thurston

Hometown: Lakewood, Colorado
Hobbies/Interests: Scrapbooking, cooking, bowling, and camping.
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: I am an organizer.

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: ?

Parker Thurston

School: Preston Middle School 

Hobbies/Interests: Bowling, drumming, football, and games.

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: ?

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: I want to perform as a drummer on stage in front of many people.

Fischer and Holly Osborn

Holly Osborn

Hometown: Mission Viejo, California
Hobbies/Interests: Aerial dance and travel.
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: Palm reading.
Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: ?

Fischer Osborn

School: Fossil Ridge High School (Kinard)

Hobbies/Interests: Lacrosse. 

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: I like art.

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: ?

Dane and Stacey Harnisch

Stacey Harnisch

Hometown: Hastings, Nebraska
Hobbies/Interests: Tennis, painting, interior design, and skiing.
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: I'm an artist; I paint pictures for children’s rooms.
Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Go to Italy.

Dane Harnisch

School: Fossil Ridge High School (2020)

Hobbies/Interests: Snowboarding, band, and games. 

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: I was born in Memphis, TN. I’d like to be a pilot someday.

Name on thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Travel out of the country.

Ryan and Lisa Spence

Lisa Spence

Hometown: Carlsbad, California
Hobbies/Interests: Planning, organizing events and activities with my family or students. Everything that involves my sons, fishing, camping, and hiking.
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: I don’t know…
Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Spend an entire month on a coastal or lakeside vacation without the worry of work or any other lingering responsibilities.

Ryan Spence

School: Preston Middle School 

Hobbies/Interests: Sports and fishing. 

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: I am one of only a couple of people at my school that play lacrosse.

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Go to my dream college to play lacrosse and fish.

Meet our New Members - YMSL Fort Collins

Meet our New Members (1 of 5)

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Brayden and Ericka Lake

Ericka Lake

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Hobbies/Interests: Finding a way to get to every one of my kids activities!
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: I can't think of anything!! If given a choice, I would eat Mexican food for every meal of the day, every day. I can't get enough of it!
Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Road trip across the US with no schedule or plan.

Brayden Lake

School: Fossil Ridge High School (Preston)

Hobbies/Interests: Computer programming, drum set, and acting.

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: I can fire spin like you see in Hawaii.

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: I would love to go to the Oscars.

Jackson and Katy Sayers

Katy Sayers

Hometown: Wytheville, Virginia
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, travel, and road biking.
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: Talent = I'm a great whistler. Characteristic = I try to be patient.
Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Take my family to Europe.

Jackson Sayers

School: Rocky Mountain High School (Webber)

Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, sports, traveling/flying, and nature.

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: I have a false tooth that I can remove at will on a retainer.

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Play Augusta National Golf Course.

Colin and Natalie Patterson

Natalie Patterson

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Hobbies/Interests: Tennis, skiing and hiking.
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: I'm bilingual (Spanish).
Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Trek through Nepal.

Colin Patterson

School: Rocky Mountain High School (Webber)

Hobbies/Interests: Music and snowboarding. 

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: Co-own a small business.

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Be rich.

Sammy and Carolyn Knape

Carolyn Knape

Hometown: Broomfield/ Fort Collins, Colorado

Hobbies/Interests: Painter (Artist), tennis, and ski/snowboarding.
Your most unique quality, characteristic or talent is: Painter.
Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Go to South America.
Sammy Knape

School: Poudre High School 

Hobbies/Interests: Fishing, skiing, mountain biking, and tennis. 

Tell us something unique about you that most people don't know: I play #2 singles for PHS.

Name one thing on your bucket list you hope to do someday: Compete nationally for tennis.