"I Bleed Orange"

After 5 1/2 years Jared was released from the Varsity Scout program. Many of you know how much I have wanted Jared to get released. Now that it has finally happened, it is really sad. Jared was such a great leader and friend to all of the boys that he has taught. He absolutely loved camping and was always willing to learn a new skill to teach the boys if they wanted to learn it. Jared said that he went through 3 bishops and 8 bishopric counselors while he was in the Varsity program. He took the boys to 3 Mountain Man Rendezvous (these happen every other year); 4 On-Targets; 4 triathlons (he participated every year in the triathlon); and 6 high adventure camps including Philmont Scout Ranch that was a 12 day backpacking trek. Jared's favorite color is now orange which drives me crazy because every time he sees an orange shirt he has to buy it. Orange is the Varsity color in case you are wondering.

Jared wrote an email to the guy in the district that is over Varsity scouts. It said:

Now that I have turned the paper work in they go and release me. I will now be serving in the EQ presidency. It is tough to give up the best calling in the church. Between Coach and Assistant Coach I have been in the Teachers quorum for over 5 years.

When I first got called the then scoutmaster (Steve Sowards) in our ward said, "I'm jealous… I bleed orange." I gave him a stupid look and did not know what he was talking about. I never had an YM calling before. I didn’t even know there were different scouting charters for the older boys let alone colors. He told me to get trained.

I remember reluctantly going to my first huddle. I did not want to go learn cheers and chants from over zealous scouters. I had never been to a roundtable or huddle before. I went with the intention of trying it once and if I did not like it I would probably not come back. I remember you and Vanessa introducing the 2005 Rendezvous. It sounded really cool! Then I went to a breakout session on knife making with Trader Joe. I left wanting to go to the rendezvous and with the desire to make a knife. I got a lot out of it and have rarely missed over the passed 5+ years.

After that I got trained and took a few boys to the gold card service at RC to winterize the cabins. It has just gotten better ever since.

Since then, I have taken boys to 3 Mt. Man Rendezvous (each one was a gold card team), 4 On-Targets, 4 triathlons (I participated each time), 6 high adventure camps including Philmont, and various other outings. I got an amateur radio license and CPR certification along the way. I now have leather pieces, leather working tools, knives / knife parts, half made moccasins, double ball sticks, capotes, backpack, camping gear, etc in the garage. I started with one Dutch oven and now have 3.5 (one has a cracked lid). It has been a good run.

Thank you for your help and support along the way. You really do a great job of instructing new scout leaders.

I bleed orange,
Jared Kelm

Jared got an email from the guy in the stake that is over the Varsity program. It said:

Jared,

I want you to know what a pleasure it has been working with you.

You are truly one of the best Varsity Coach's I have ever worked with. Your total commitment to the boys and the program show.

I know you will be an asset to the Elders Quorum and that you will bring to them the same dedication you brought to the Varsity Program. And some day you will be involved with the Varsity Scouts again. Yes, like the rest of us, "YOU BLEED ORANGE"

Thank you for being you.

Brother Latimer

Jared, it has been a long run and we as a family have learned a lot and grown a lot from your experiences in the scouting program. I love your dedication that you showed the boys. I know that my attitudes towards the scouting program changed when I heard Jared give a talk recently about scouts. He said that he is teaching boys right now that are basically the same age of the boys that our girls will one day marry. He said that he hoped that our future son-in-laws will have gotten the same experiences with scouts because it will make them better people and husbands. I had never thought about that before (kind of scary to think about my girls getting married!) but when I heard Jared say that I broke down and my attitudes changed.

It is hard to believe that I am saying this, but I really will miss scouts. I have enjoyed watching all of the boys grow up. I will miss watching them interact with my kids every week. I guess that I can say as a Varsity Leader's wife, I also bleed orange (well at least a little bit).

In case you are wondering, Jared is now the 2nd counselor in the Elder's Quorum Presidency. We replaced one set of meetings with more meetings!

Big & Little

I was showing Jacob & Jayden some pictures the other day when we came across this one. Jacob was so excited about this picture. He started pointing to himself (the one on the right) and said, "Big" and then he pointed to Jayden and said, "Little". Poor Jayden started crying and said that he wasn't little that he was big too. I was impressed that Jacob was able to tell the difference between big and little, but I felt bad for Jayden that he was called the little one.