Pride in the Vision of Scouting
As a Boy Scout, my relationship with Scouting as an organization or institution was limited to the people I did it with- not the larger purpose of its character development or the legacy that it carries with you. I joined Cub Scouts in 1st grade, forming a Den with eight friends from The Seven Hills School. My mom and a couple of her peers became Den Leaders and we stayed together through the 5th grade. I joined a new Troop (114 at Hyde Park Community UMC) in high school and became an Eagle Scout a couple of years later.
Earning that honor took an enormous amount of time, commitment, and hard work but I undersold as a young man as just something I had to do. It was a great experience, but it just went on my resume.
10 years later, while earning my Masters, I worked as an afterschool counselor with Denver Boy Scouts. The program was a modified Cub Scout curriculum for elementary age students who couldn’t afford to join Scouting. We introduced the major tenets of Scouting like leave no trace and how to tie knots, but more importantly we provided a consistent and fun place for kids to go after school. I could see the impact of Scouting, and felt a sense of pride as an Eagle Scout- for really the first time.
Almost 10 years after that, I felt the same pride during the groundbreaking ceremony of The Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trade Education Center at Camp Friedlander. Dan Beard Council, Scouting America is building a 9,200 sq.ft. facility where young people will be able to learn and train in six bays for specialized work in specific skill areas: Welding, Automotive, Plumbing, Carpentry, Electronics, and Robotics.
As someone who spent countless days at that camp, it’s inspiring to see it continue to evolve into a launchpad for professional futures.
This project is a model for how nonprofits and businesses can partner to create lasting impact—offering young people not only skills, but a pathway to a future with opportunities and purpose. Andy Zahn and his team, with Bob Taylor and the Board of Directors, are demonstrating the value and scope of Scouting while directly changing the future of hundreds of young people and our communities.
At Queen City Impact, we help client’s identify projects, people, and opportunities that speak to their purpose like this does to me personally. Whether it’s early education, workforce development, or any area of passion, we guide families, foundations, and businesses in building legacies that go beyond philanthropy to lasting change.
