I’m constantly overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of volunteers in my kids’ lives.
My son, Charlie, plays Little League. For the last three years and six baseball seasons, his coach has been Jason Sikorski, and along the way, a host of assistant coaches.
These men and women are unpaid teachers, role models, and baseball enthusiasts who love the game and love educating boys about it. Charlie is a far better person because of the impact and influence that Coach Sikorski and his assistants have had on his life. Thanks to his time with these great people, Charlie is a more confident, competent, and happy kid who understands how to win gracefully and lose with dignity.
Clara and Charlie are also members of our local Scout troop. For Charlie’s Cub Scout years, his Scoutmaster was Forrest Helvie. Now that they are both Scouts, Charlie’s Scoutmaster is Tim Manley, and Clara’s Scoutmaster is Renee Rothauser.
Once again, several assistant Scoutmasters and parent volunteers—all unpaid—have assisted these people, donating enormous amounts of time to the young people in their troops.
It’s astounding.
They design and run weekly meetings where my kids learn skills at least as valuable as anything they learn in school. They march in Memorial Day parades, compete in Pinewood Derbies, volunteer at library book sales, participate in service projects, compete in athletic and intellectual competitions, earn ranks, make friends, develop confidence and self-esteem, stretch their boundaries, and much more.
In addition, Charlie has been camping with the Scouts many times. He recently spent five days in Washington, DC, with his troop.
He’s currently spending a week at Scout camp.
As a teacher for 25 years, I know how challenging, stressful, and exhausting it can be to take young people off-site overnight. Tim Manley, Forrest Helve, and their assistant Scoutmasters and volunteers do so enthusiastically and always return home with a smile.
I firmly believe in bringing as many quality adults into our children’s lives as possible, and these Little League coaches and Scouting leaders have been extraordinary additions, helping them become better people every day.
I, too, benefited from the influence of men like Donald Pollock, Josef Makar, and a host of Little League coaches whose names I have sadly forgotten.
Across our country, enthusiastic, highly competent volunteers like the people in my children’s lives do important, invaluable work that can never recognized enough for its exceptionalism. I feel so very grateful that people like this exist.
I find their generosity of time, energy, and spirit genuinely astonishing.
