A milestone birthday earlier this month got me thinking about my parents and what their lives looked like at my age, which is vastly different from my life. In reflecting on the differences, it was really to see how my parents’ choices in their 20s and 30s have had a foundational impact on who I am and what my life is like today.

My parents involvement in one organization, which I was never a member of myself, more than any other created lifelong friendships and influenced how I interact with my community and the world. Throughout my childhood, my parents were members of the local Jaycee’s organization. In a town of 800 people, the Jaycees chapter had 20 to 30 active members for the 15 years my parents were involved until they aged out.

Service was never a chore even when it was picking up trash for Adopt-a-Highway, hosting blood drives and youth BB gun safety classes. They made service fun and meaningful through activities building elaborate floats to show patriotism for the Fourth of July parade and a community haunted house each Halloween. One of the most lasting legacies of the group is the Heart & Sole Road Race held every July 3, which brings hundreds of runners to their small community to help fund local scholarships and equipment for the EMS and fire department, even though they haven’t been an official organization in over 20 years. 

My parents and their friends made service look cool and fun. I still get the same excitement I felt as a kid about raising money for the community through Oktoberfest, meeting new people while serving on the chamber board and judging at a 4-H or FFA contest. There is nothing quite as magical as working with friends who share your values to make a difference in your community.

A key component of the fun for me was that everyone brought their kids to everything. We all grew up together, having fun, helping when we could and watching our parents model how to build a great community. My oldest friend’s parents were members, too. Becky and I met at about 2 years old and spent much of our childhood playing together at meetings and events. As we got older we joined Girl Scouts, 4-H, Pop Warner, show choir, FFA, school plays and a dozen other activities together. I don’t remember a time in my life without her friendship and recognize the blessing of having a lifelong friend like her.

The family friendships we built were enduring too. I recently joined my parents at the lake for an annual camping trip started almost 40 years ago as a Jaycee activity. The group has grown and changed but there are still a gaggle of children of all ages enjoying tubing on the lake, candy bingo and s’mores on the campfire. The generation of grandchildren who attend now are scattered around several states but I know they are making lifelong friends and memories. 

Some day when all the grandkids look back at the annual camping trip, I hope they recognize camping was more than just fun with friends. It was an exceptional model of lifelong friends having fun, building community and joyfully serving those around them.