Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Summer is usually a time when Aroostook County youth relax after completing another school year – taking part in sporting activities, going on vacation and spending time at camp. But for one local youth group, summer camp proved to be a disciplined learning experience.
The Young Marines, an organization founded in 1958 in Waterbury, Conn., whose charter dates back to 1965, has been helping children make the transition from childhood to responsible young adults through a variety of activities designed to teach discipline. The Aroostook County branch spent a few days this summer doing just that at its camp at Aroostook State Park.
“This is an organization where we influence the youth of Aroostook County to grow and mature into responsible young adults, who love their country and will share forever the life-long values of honor, courage and commitment – to pass on to future generations of Young Marines,” said Craig Fay, commanding officer of the County Patriots Young Marines. “By example, the County Patriots Young Marines will show the citizens of Aroostook County that it is not enough just to live, but one should try to live with purpose, a goal and to have the necessary skills to reach that goal.”
Fay said the mission to be achieved as a long-term goal is to positively impact America’s future by providing quality youth development for boys and girls. The Young Marines program nurtures and develops its members into responsible citizens who enjoy and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle, he said.
The positive result of this project, according to Fay, will result in a “numerous amount of involved citizens in Aroostook County and will therefore increase the quality of life for all.”
The program includes evaluation on how a member interacts with others in and out of the home.
“We work with the youth to teach them respect for parents and their elders, the use of ‘sir’ and ‘ma-me,’ attentiveness, politeness, honesty, obedience, effort and conduct in school, cooperation and helpfulness, completion of chores at home, independent action, etiquette and maturity,” said Fay. “Outreach in Aroostook County through education by example, such as the County Patriot Young Marines, can only create a positive result.”
To help spread knowledge of the group throughout Aroostook County, a float was created to use in local parades, with members recreating scenes from history. Fay said parades are ideal for showing the discipline and dedication of the youth, since parades attract residents from all over the region.
According to Fay, parade floats allow the youth to “project the utmost respect for our country and respect due to those who have helped make the Unites States of America exactly what it is to this day. It’s a very important factor in a display of what the County Patriots stand for and will generate curiosity which also leads to further involvement by a greater mass of the population in the County.”
The group’s success will be measured by how certain crime rates go down in the County, said Fay.
“The measure of success promoted by this project will be evaluated by the percentage of the crime rate going down, the percentage of domestic violence going down, the percentage of school participation going up as well as grades and test scores,” said Fay. “The participation of organizations through our various communities coming together to form more efficient and successful self-sustaining lifestyles would also be produced by the success of promoting this project.”
Through teamwork and discipline, the County Patriot Young Marines hope to make a difference for future generations. The project will develop and strengthen local leadership by influencing others by example, said Fay.
“This project will include the County Patriot Young Marines growing and learning in various areas, including: integrity, knowledge, courage, decisiveness, dependability, imitation, tact, justice, enthusiasm, bearing, endurance, unselfishness, loyalty and judgment. This project will also include the community of Aroostook by building a sense of pride,” said Fay. “Members show pride for their County and themselves, but the need for expansion is great.”
This summer’s camp provided an opportunity for youth to learn from others and build skills that they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives.
“The objective of the Young Marines is to promote the physical, moral and mental development of its members; instill the ideals of honesty, fairness, courage, respect, loyalty, dependability, attention to duty, love of God and fidelity to our country and its institutions; stimulate an interest and respect for academic achievement and the history and traditions of the United States; promote physical fitness through the conduct of physical activities including participation in athletic events and close order drill; and advocates a healthy, drug-free lifestyle through continual drug prevention education,” said Fay.
Members taking part in this summer’s camp included: Jasper Tamburelo and Glen Kleinert, Limestone; Jacob and Joshua Michaud, Mapleton; Lydia Short, David and Caleb Hunter, and Bonnie and Erica Corey, Presque Isle; Scott Romano, Olivia and Dade Engstrom, Caribou; and Dakota Mullen, Oxbow.
Fay said he’s pleased to see the number of girls taking part is on the rise. Overall, members have also seen an increase in grades since joining.
“The majority have had their grades go up since joining,” said Fay. “Youth advance in rank as they learn. Bonnie Corey, who’s 11, joined in January of 2006 and is now a lance corporal. She’s done well on tests, has obtained a lot of knowledge. There’s a lot of studying involved. She and her sister, Erica, are doing very well.”
Tamburelo, who is 13, has been with the organization for about three years.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting new people, doing the drills,” said Tamburelo, who noted the discipline learned with the group benefits his other love – music. “I play the sax, drums, guitar. I’m thinking of looking at a career involving music.”
Dade Engstrom, 10, said he enjoys the friendships he’s made since becoming a Young Marine.
“I like it because everyone’s caring and trustworthy. No one gets involved with drugs, alcohol or cigarettes,” said Engstrom.
The organization is non-denominational and open to all interested youth from the area. Staff are screened before working with the youth.
“We are careful who we select to work with the children because the staff have to set examples,” said Fay.
As of this summer, Fay said the group consisted of about 20 individuals from all over Aroostook. For more information on the organization, contact Fay at 764-4775, Norm Caron at 493-4614 or Diane Norton at 325-3424.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
AROOSTOOK COUNTY youth learn discipline and respect, among other things, as members of County Patriot Young Marines. Participants at this year’s summer camp included: Jasper Tamburelo, Limestone; Jacob and Joshua Michaud, Mapleton; Bonnie Corey, Presque Isle; Scott Romano, Caribou; Dakota Mullen, Oxbow; Glen Kleinert, Limestone; David and Caleb Hunter, Presque Isle; Lydia Short, Presque Isle; Erica Corey, Presque Isle; Oliva and Dad Engstrom, Caribou.
