Young Men’s Service League offers boys new perspectives, skills
Most teens wouldn’t exactly be thrilled about a 7 a.m. Saturday morning wakeup call to deliver Meals on Wheels with mom. But for the boys and their moms serving the community as part of the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL), the opportunity to volunteer together and create a treasured bond is worth the effort.
And with a minimum requirement of 25 annual hours (10 of which must be worked as a mother/son duo), the summer months can serve as an optimal time to do some good, log some hours, and bond with mom before the busy school year begins.
Tate Hill joined the Episcopal School of Dallas YMSL chapter as a freshman. As part of new member requirements, he and his mom, Neiman, volunteered for a variety of organizations. They soon developed a passion for helping tackle food scarcity issues.
“Our favorite philanthropy to volunteer with is St. Philip’s Community Center. We volunteer for them every chance we get,” said Neiman, explaining how the food pantry operates as a client-choice pantry, much like a grocery store.
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“For me, the hands-on experiences with people in the community are the best part,” said Tate. “Serving alongside my mom also gives me a perspective of how to interact with the community, showing respect and appreciation to all people.”
The four-year YMSL curriculum also incorporates life lessons in areas such as social skills (college planning, job interviewing, public speaking), making good choices (money management, alcohol/drug prevention, nutrition), and practical know-how (CPR, car maintenance, first aid).
YMSL member Cody Brooks recalled one of his favorite group activities as an incoming freshman was visiting Sewell Infiniti with his mom, Ashley, who agreed that the outing was both fun and valuable.
“You’d be surprised how many teens don’t know how to change a tire,” she said.
As part of YMSL’s annual Ultimate Gift project, Neiman and Tate recently helped convert a classroom into a teacher’s lounge for a United to Learn initiative and cleaned up outdoor spaces at K.B. Polk Elementary School.
Each spring, the individual YMSL chapters host an awards banquet, recognizing the achievements and growth of the young men, as well as the impact of the organization on the community.
In preparation, graduating seniors record “shout-outs” to their moms, and the videos are shown during the celebration held at Maggiano’s Restaurant.
In his tribute to his mom, Maggie, Carson Langston said, “I don’t know a whole lot of moms who’d sign up for the drill of dragging (us) to volunteer shifts on weekend mornings, but you always did it with a smile on your face, which taught me a lot about putting others before myself.”
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