The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Joshua F. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Take Action - Serve Your Community
For the past three years now, I've had the privilege of taking part in a non-profit organization called the Youth Advisory Committee (Southfield Branch), a subsidiary of the Southfield Community Foundation. While on this committee I've had the opportunity to watch Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons come and go. And now have been given the opportunity to Vice-Chair the group in this upcoming school year.
The Youth Advisory Committee is a philanthropic organization that gives out grants for projects designed to benefit the youth of our community. We also take part in, and spearheaded several projects ourselves. I've been able to help plan these projects, and have even participated in the launching of new ones. One of which is taking place in the near future.
Among those projects that I've been able to take part in are: Safe Night, the purpose of which was to provide a night of fun that promotes safety for middle schoolers. The Diversity Symposium, whose main purpose is to promote the awareness of the diversity of the citizens of our state, county and city. And S.A.A.F.E. which stands for Students Advocating an Alcohol Free Environment, who's main goal is to prevent underage drinking in our area, as well as driving under the influence. As well as S.A.A.F.E. 2.0, which used up the leftover grant money we had applied for in a smaller and lower key setting.
Watching these projects come around either by tradition or because of grant money that was made available to us for that sort of project, has been very interesting. Watching the different levels of organization in the leadership teams involved with these projects has been a learning process on its own. And actually seeing the fruition and results of these projects has been a joy as well. These are just some of the benefits of community service.
What it all boils down to is being active. Seeing what needs to get done and setting about doing it. Whether it is a community, political or other organization, we all need to do our part in making our community a better place to live in. We are needed. Your community needs you, because you are part of the community. And serving your community is one way of carrying the legacy Christ started. This legacy started in us, is one of service and love, which brought about the concept of caring for your fellow man. Why should those of us who are Christians, give the taking care of that legacy to those who do not follow the one who started it?
I encourage all of you reading this to find and take part in a service organization that's near you. Your help can make all the difference. If you can help the organization, the organization can help better the community. If the organization can better the community, the community will better the county. The betterment of the county, betters the state. And the betterment of the state, betters the country. And the betterment of our great nation, will in turn better our world.
