Good Turns Continue During Summer Vacation

As kids are heading back to school – moving away from beach vacations and summer camps toward textbooks, laptops and whiteboards, I’m reflecting on the summer vacation experience and the opportunities within those months to use that time for something great.

Traditionally, many service and charitable organizations see drops in volunteer and donor participation during the summer months, due to children being off from school, vacations, and other departures from daily routines.

But even though this decline in service hours is often expected, it’s important that to continue to focus on serving the needs of our communities all year.  Many of those in need don’t have the privileges that many of us take for granted and have to continue to struggle for proper food, housing and medical care for themselves and their families, no matter what time of year it is.

I’ve received many examples of how our Scouting units have continued to drive service projects in their communities through the summer months. I’m glad to see how their leaders have guided these young people along the path of community service on a year-round basis. In addition to benefitting their neighbors, it helps keep our Scouts busy and learning new skills to help them be Prepared.For Life.

Whether it’s scouting out weed control in Oregon, litter removal in California, collecting coats for the needy in Pennsylvania, or hacking through brush to build a new biking trail in Missouri, the actions of these Scouts and Scouting volunteers have the same focus – making things a little better for the people in their communities.

Scout Matthew West, pictured here, led a weed cleanup of Waterfront, Wilderness and Pioneer parks in Oregon, targeting invasive species such as English ivy, Himalayan blackberry, Scotch broom and Canada thistle. // Photo courtesy of Statesman Journal

Boy Scout Troop 226 conducts litter removal at a Highland, CA trail and lookout point during a community service project organized by First Class Scout Zac Marquette. The Scouts, ages 13 to 18, collected enough litter to nearly fill a dumpster. // Photo courtesy of Highland Community News.

Scouts collected more than 100 coats for underprivileged children in Pennsylvania. // Photo courtesy of the Abington Journal

Nixa, MO Scout Robert Lyford wields an axe against to clear a path for a mountain biking trail at Camp Arrowhead. // Photo courtesy of Springfield News-Leader

How do you schedule your annual philanthropic endeavors? Do they peak outside of the summer months or do you pace your volunteer time and donations month-to-month?  I’m eager to hear how you spend your summer giving back!

Thanks!

Wayne