Wildcat Chapter's 3rd Annual Plano Santas

The Wildcat Chapter brought holiday cheer to two wonderful families through Plano Santas. In the spirit of giving, Moms and Sons dashed off into shopping mode. Not only were the needs of the families met, but due to the generous donations, their Christmas wishes will lay under the Christmas tree welcoming the joy of the season and bringing warmth and peace to the hearts of their parents. The pile of gifts is a sight to behold! The families were so thankful for the outpouring of gifts and donations, and the Moms and Sons were thankful for the opportunity to help.

Dal-Rich gives giggles, smiles, laughs and TOYS!!!

The Dal-Rich chapter members helped out at Medical City for the Toys for Tots Holiday party on Sunday, December 11th. Being a part of this wonderful event was a great opportunity for the chapter.  

The chapter has so far contributed over $150 that will help to provide holiday gifts for the patients of Medical City Children's Hospital in Dallas.  In addition, further donations through the month from our membership will help buy toys for the playroom in the hospital.

Dal-Rich Chapter works with the Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement

Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement was visited by members of the YMSL 

Dal-Rich Chapter this month. The boys had fun playing games and hanging out with these wonderful children. We all had plenty to be thankful for at the picnic. 

It was a wonderful gathering to express gratitude, blessings and community.

Lone Star Chapter Summer Philanthropies Video

The Lone Star Chapter created a slide show with pictures of the moms and sons serving their various philanthropies over the summer, and would love for you to view it.  The Lone Star Chapter logged over 2, 416 hours of summer service,  an increase of 10% from the prior summer.  This video, shown at the first moms’ meeting, was another way to highlight their different philanthropies and how they serve them.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCutBDUa3E

The Southlake Chapter Was Busy This Summer!

The Southlake Chapter was busy this summer volunteering close to 1100 hours since May and almost 5500 hours total since the organization was formed three years ago.

  

Volunteering for Rise Adventures, which is a program for the disabled that utilizes watercraft and fun items for them to enjoy. 

  

They also helped construct a home for the Habitat for Humanity Program in Fort Worth this past June. 

   

Helping organize and volunteer at the Southlake Senior Center Luau this summer the seniors enjoyed a day of Hawaiian fun.

YMSL helps provide sack lunches to kids in need through support of Seven Loaves Food Pantry in Plano, TX

A note from Janet Collinsworth, Executive Director:

"THANKS to the Keg Steakhouse & Bar for their generosity and commitment to improving lives in our community and THANKS to the hundreds of passionate supporters of the Seven Loaves Food Pantry & Community Center - the SEVEN LOAVES SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM PLACED FIRST IN TEXAS VOTING and received a generous grant of $25,000 from The Keg Steakhouse & Bar.


THANKS TO YOU the Seven Loaves Food Pantry & Community Center along with Plano Independent Schools, Plano Jr. League, National Charity League, Young Mens Service League, Boy Scouts, Girls Scounts and hundreds of volunteers, there will be over 17,000 healthy sack lunches provided to children in Collin County who are at risk of going without enough food this summer.

THANKS TO YOU!
Follow the story and grant awards at
www.thekegthanksamillion.com/

There are over 55,000 children enrolled in PISD for the 2010-2011 school year of which approximately 10,000, or about 18%, participate in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program (SBP/NSLP). The SBP/NSLP are federally assisted meal programs operating in public, non-profit private schools and residential child care institutions. Very often, these meals are the primary - or only - sustenance these children receive. These children are food insecure. According to the USDA, food insecurity is limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways (that is, without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing, or other coping strategies). During the school year, SBP/NSLP help fight food insecurity for children. But what happens when school is not in session? On weekends and during the summer and holiday breaks, these children are at risk of not having enough, or perhaps anything, to eat each day.

Your support of the Summer Lunch Program is helping to provide kids in need with lunch this summer so they can stay healthy and be ready for school to start this fall. Thanks so much for your support. "

All the best to you and yours,
Janet Collinsworth, Executive Director
Seven Loaves Food Pantry & Community Center

Plano Chapter banquet held in Cowboy's Stadium

Our Plano Chapter held their banquet in the home of the Dallas Cowboys on May 1st. The chapter came together to celebrate its graduating seniors and award those that achieved excellence in service work this year. Before the ceremony the boys and moms took a VIP tour of the stadium and got to hang out on the field.

Alpharetta Chapter honors its first year of Graduates

Our Alpharetta Chapter held its annual banquet on May 1^st at the Marriott on Windward to honor its first class of graduating seniors. The event was a celebration of the chapters' charter class and their moms.  This group of 2011 high school graduates contributed more than 4500 hours of service to the North Fulton community over the past 4 years.  Congratulations to all!

Milton chapter's first service project is a success!

In Georgia the Milton chapter was able to do their part to help sort and pack food items which were collected by local letter carriers for the National Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.  This is our nation's largest, single day food collection and their community donated over 15 tons of food! 

Southlake Chapter has great banquet turnout

Way to go Southlake Chapter!

Three classes are represented in this photo in the now two year old chapter. The Annual Banquet YMSL - Southlake Chapter was held at Trophy Club Country Club, on May 15th at 5:00pm where the young men and mothers celebrated another year of service to their community. Close to 5,000 community service hours have been performed by this chapter over their two years. Veteran MLB Player Homer Bush was the guest speaker as chapter members dined and honored those who dedicated themselves to community service .The Southlake chapter is looking forward to consisting of a full four year chapter next year, celebrating their 1st Senior Class Graduation.

Congratulations

YMSL Southlake Chapter gets great local media coverage!

Please take a moment to check out the article in the link:

http://www.scntx.com/articles/2011/05/27/southlake_times/news/50.txt

DALLAS / FORT WORTH MEMBERS TO "PACK THE PLAZA"

Dallas/Ft. Worth YMSL - lets "Pack the Plaza" on Saturday May 7th from 7-9 am! Channel 8 will be doing a story on us! We are collecting teacher appreciation gifts for the teachers we will be supporting this year for our Ultimate Gift Event at the Vogel Alcove and City Park Elementary.

If you can make it and want to contribute please bring your donations to your chapter or contact Pam Rosener at prosener@gmail.com.

Come out and support YMSL! Details:
When: May 7, 2011
Time: 7:00 am-9:00 am
Where: WFAA – Channel 8 Victory Plaza – near American Airlines Center (Olive & Houston) - Parking available in Lot A off Olive

YMSL Milton (GA) chapter off to a great start!

Wow! What an amazing turnout we had for our first registration day! The first two cars showed up Friday night at 7:00 p.m. in the hopes of securing their spot on the Milton YMSL roster. The next few cars arrived at 4:00 a.m., and by 6:00 there were 17 cars in line! When registration started at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning, the 35 slots were immediately filled and an additional 6 mom’s placed on a waiting list! We are so excited about the enthusiasm and can’t wait to start serving in our community.

Tana Riddell, President
Milton Chapter

Welcome new YMSL Milton (Georgia) Chapter!

The Milton Chapter is up and running, and very excited about what the future holds for the Young Men and their Moms in the city of Milton, Georgia. Our first Mom's Informational Meeting was attended by eleven YMSL Milton Board Members, and from the YMSL Northeast Atlanta Chapter - Debbie Bartolomei and Susan Butler - and thirty-one interested Moms! Let the "service" begin!
Tana Riddell
President Milton Chapter

YMSL Silver Star Chapter hosts 100 U.S. Army troops for lunch!

Earlier this month; as the D/FW Metroplex prepared to welcome the world for Super Bowl XLV, plane loads of heroes were leaving Texas for points far from home.


On Saturday, February 5th; fifteen high school boys and their moms, members of Young Men’s Service League – Silver Star Chapter, hosted lunch for the U.S. Army’s finest men and women as they prepared to deploy from the United States. Organized by YMSL Meet and Greet the Troops Chair, Karen Foster and USO Event Coordinator, Meagan Bergeron, the volunteers spent three hours with the approximately 100 service men and women sharing lunch and well wishes for a safe return back home. Sharing a meal was the plan – sharing time was the goal – and sharing friendship was the end result. The soldiers told harrowing tales from their calls of duty, as well as familial stories from their time spent at home.

The D/FW Metroplex is known around the country for their big Texas welcome of the troops when they arrive. Sending the soldiers on their way with a warm meal and Texas-sized thanks completes their journey – until they visit us again.

To watch video from the event; click on this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUlywA4Lmog&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Watch YMSL-Lone Star Father/Son Event - "Suport our Troops"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxgWRomtN2c

U.S. Troops arrive everyday at DFW Airport from Iraq and Afghanistan for their fourteen day R&R leave. The Lone Star Chapter of YMSL held their annual Father/Son event on two different days in January to cheer and greet these American heros as they return home to the United States. Lone Star young men and their fathers were encouraged to attend Support Our Troops at DFW Airport on either January 15th and January 29th. It was a blessing to join together with others to greet, welcome and thank these brave men and women for their service.

reflections by Taylor Marshall, Senior and 4-year member of YMSL-Alpharetta Chapter

Sunday, January 23, 2011 - John Joseph, author of My Guide to (College) Greatness and founder of Global Grad spoke to the Senior boys of the Alpharetta GA chapter of YMSL about a creating a roadmap for a successful transition to college.


“Four fantastic of years of Alpharetta, GA. Hundreds of service/philanthropy events. And most importantly, countless lives touched through the generosity and selflessness of the YMSL Alpharetta High School chapter. But most recently at one of our meetings, I was the one who was moved. Mr. John Joseph travelled all the way from Alabama to discuss his take on the college scene and the steps a high school senior like me should take in making the extremely important transition a successful one. When reflecting on his speech, words such as balance, focus, perseverance and even failure come to mind. That's right failure. We were told that college is a time of learning, independence, and of course great fun. But even more importantly it can be thought of as a trial run for the rest our lives in terms of success. Being told that it was OKAY to fail sometimes despite trying my hardest definitely placed some assurance inside of me when pondering the next four important years of my life. One thing is for sure: Mr. Joseph's words spoke not just to me, but all of my college bound peers, that college is a time to truly find who we are. In return of developing ourselves, we can then touch the lives of others in countless ways and extend hand to the world. Thank you Mr. Joseph.”

Taylor Marshall, Senior and 4 year member of YMSL, Alpharetta chapter