Editor’s note: This is one story in a series that highlights the United Way’s 2011 community partners.
Dalton Leek and Alex Livingston like to go camping and meet new people.
Leek, 9, and Livingston, 16, get to do both through Boy Scouts. Both are part of Troop 165.
Livingston’s favorite activity in Boy Scouts is getting to go camping in Colorado.
“It was so beautiful outside,” he said of the camp.
The Jawhawk Area Boy Scouts is one of 20 organizations receiving United Way funds for 2010-11.
Boy Scouts requested $35,000, said Erik McGuire of Boy Scouts. The bulk of the money, $30,000, will be used for comprehensive youth development, which is the traditional scouting program. The remaining $5,000 will be used for Scout Reach, an after-school program that provides services at no charge.
The funds from the United Way will be used in a five-county territory, including Lyon, Osage, and Coffey counties, and parts of Greenwood and Wabaunsee counties. In that territory there are about 760 Boy Scouts in first grade through the age of 21.
Tony Leek, Dalton’s father, said Boy Scouts teaches boys how to get along with people to achieve a goal, how to be independent and a variety of life skills.
Dalton’s father was a Boy Scout when he was a child and said the people he keeps in touch with now are the people who were in Boy Scouts with him.
Livingston and Dalton Leek said the meetings are largely run by other Boy Scouts with occasional help from adults. Livingston has been in Boy Scouts for 11 years. Dalton Leek has been in Boy Scouts for five years.
Tony Leek said the boys involved in the organization have an opportunity to do things that other kids do not. For example, he said boys will learn how to build a shelter from scratch, how to hunt for food and how to make a fire without modern conveniences during a survival campout.
“It’s amazing what they can do. It’s cool to watch them blossom,” Tony Leek said.
The 2011 United Way community partners are: American Red Cross; Big Brothers Big Sisters; Boy Scouts — Jayhawk Council BSA; Boy Scouts – Quivira Council BSA; Building Blocks Community Child Care; Camp Alexander; Care & Share of Morris County; Catholic Charities of North East Kansas; Chase Children’s Services; Coffey Co. Resource Council; Emporia Child Care; Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland; Help House of Osage County; Housing & Credit Counseling, Inc.; Kansas Legal Services; Lyon Co. Restricted Emergency Fund; Plumb Place; SOS, Inc.; The Salvation Army and United Cerebral Palsy.
Absolute (anonymous) says...
I am surprised that the United Way supports an organization that discriminates against sexual orientation. Just another reason I will not be giving any of my money to the United Way.
November 27, 2010 at 11:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )