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CCSO Sgt. Mel
Gonzalez reviews the Cub Scout manual with his den Feb. 22. Sgt. Gonzalez has
been a Scout den leader for the past five years. Photo
by Cpl. Efrain Hernandez/CCSO
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Sgt. Mel
Gonzalez fondly remembers going on camping trips, selling popcorn, and building
and racing Pinewood Derby cars as a Cub Scout in Collier County.
Forty years
later Sgt. Gonzalez still camps, sells popcorn and builds Pinewood Derby cars
as the leader of his 10-year-old son’s Cub Scout den.
Sgt. Russel
Steward enjoyed camping, fishing and hiking as both a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout
as a youngster growing up in Maryland. Today, he has two boys of his own, ages
15 and 12, in Scouts and is an assistant Scoutmaster for their troop.
Both men
said Scouting gave them life experiences that influenced them as adults and
helped lead them to a career in law enforcement. The goal-oriented, hard work-driven ethics of teamwork, loyalty and leadership are traits
worth passing on.
“I tell the
elementary school kids all the time, ‘Join Scouting. It’s going to change your
life,’’’ said Sgt. Gonzalez, of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office’s Youth
Relations Bureau.
Sgt.
Gonzalez and Sgt. Steward are among several CCSO members who are currently
Scout leaders or who serve in another volunteer capacity with Scouts.
Sheriff
Kevin Rambosk was a Scout when he was a boy and other members of his family
grew up in Scouts as well. This year has the privilege of serving as honorary
Scout roundup chairman for the second year in a row.
“Scouting
has had a great influence in helping shape my basic character and outlook on
life,” Sheriff Rambosk said. “My involvement made
a difference in my life and helped equip me with the skills necessary to
succeed.”
Cub Scouts
is a family-based program that gives boys fun experiences while developing
their character after school hours. Boys can join Scouts starting in the first
grade. Many schools will have a
“Scout Night” where volunteers explain the
program to prospective members and their parents. The
Boy Scout and Girl Scout
programs work together in conjunction with community organizations to deliver a
volunteer-led character development and career education program.
“Collier
County Scouting has developed a reputation for service to others,” said James
Giles, the Collier County district executive for the Southwest Florida Council
of the Boy Scouts of America.
Scouting
units provide countless service hours in the community, Giles said. Many
agencies have come to depend on Scouting services for items from park benches
to the construction of permanent structures. Last year, more than 30 Eagle
Scout projects were completed to benefit nonprofit or governmental agencies, he
noted.
CCSO and
the Boy Scouts of America have a working partnership that “is integral to
Scouting’s ability to reach every youth in Collier County,” Giles said.
“Sheriff
Rambosk serves as our honorary recruitment chair and facilitates many boys
entering the program,” said Giles. “His leadership demonstrates the community’s
dedication to youth and the Scouting movement.”
In
addition, he noted the Sheriff’s Office charters law enforcement Explorer posts
that have helped many young men and women find a career path of serving others.
CCSO
partners with the Boy Scouts of America Program by offering two Explorer posts.
The Explorer program is designed for students ages 14 to 19. The program lets
students explore the opportunity to learn about and interact with law
enforcement and help stimulate further interest in the possibility of a law
enforcement career.
“The
Explorer program helps us share our mission and vision with young people at a
young age and these individuals become some of our most loyal and dedicated
employees,” Sheriff Rambosk said.
Giles said
the CCSO/Scouting partnership has had an impact on reaching youth in ‘at-risk’
communities. The Explorer and Scouting units throughout the county provide
support to youth who may otherwise be on the street, he said. Traditional
Scouting activities like camping, nature hikes, conservation and community
projects are made available to all participants. These activities teach
youth values, he said.
“Recently,
one of our Scouts from an at-risk community stated that without Scouting, he
could have gotten into gangs, drugs, or become a young father,” Giles said.
“Scouting’s core values as stated in the Scout Oath and Law give young people a
framework that can help them fulfill their potential in school and in life.”
The
Southwest Florida Council’s growing Scoutreach program sent 43 Collier County
boys to summer camp, he noted.
From Scout
To Deputy
Sgt.
Steward said he enjoyed Scouting as a youngster.
“I’ve
always been involved in the outdoors – camping, fishing and hiking,” he said.
But
Scouting is so much more than outdoor activities, he said. It’s a
learning experience.
Scouting
teaches discipline, leadership, respect, morals, values, and good citizenship.
Added to the mix are lessons on healthy eating habits and physical fitness.
“It’s a
great, fun learning experience,” he said.
He said his
involvement with Scouts from his youth gave him passion and experience to
become a Scout leader.
“We teach
Scouts to help people and to do the right thing at all times, and that’s why
I’m in law enforcement – to help the underdog,” said Sgt. Steward, who is
assigned to CCSO’s Immokalee Patrol District.
Sgt.
Gonzalez was involved in Scouts while attending Golden Gate Elementary School.
He was a Cub Scout for five years. He got involved initially because his
parents thought Scouts would be a good fit for him. They were right. He enjoyed
camping, fishing, hiking, archery and learning to tie knots.
He wanted
to share the experience with his son Tyler.
“We brought
our son to a meeting,” Sgt. Gonzalez said. “As soon as the activities started,
he was hooked. He absolutely loves to be a Cub Scout.”
It’s turned
into a family affair. His wife is involved too. She’s responsible for all of
the pins and badges and organizing all of the documents. Sgt. Gonzalez has been
his son’s Cub Scout den leader for the past five years.
He proudly
boasts that the majority of the boys in his den are members of the National
Elementary Honor Society.
“All these
boys play organized sports together and all do well in school,” he said. “All
are super good kids and I think that’s the key about Scouting. That it grounds
them really well. It gives them a really good solid foundation to do well not
only in school but in life.”
Just as the
boys in his den have grown with Scouts, so has Sgt. Gonzalez.
“We learn
from them and they learn from us,” he said. “If I could do it all over again
for another five years, I would. It’s just been a wealth of knowledge and fun.
The kids inspire us and they help us become better adults, and we don’t want to
go in there halfway we want to go there fully prepared because that’s what they
expect.”
Sgt.
Steward and Sgt. Gonzalez both said parent involvement is key to a child being
a successful Scout.
“I believe my kids have turned out well because
they are involved in Scouts and because I’m involved in Scouts,” Sgt. Steward
said.
Be A Scout
Finding a
Cub Scout unit is simple at www.beascout.org. Parents and
families with an interest in Scouting are encouraged to attend their school’s
Scout night or call (239) 207-5366 to learn more.
The
Southwest Florida Council serves 20,000 youth in seven counties. The mission of
the council is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over
their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
Additional information can be found at www.swflcouncilbsa.orgor by calling (239) 936-8072.
To learn
more about CCSO’s Explorer program and to download the application, click on
the link: http://www.colliersheriff.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=40727
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| Sgt. Gonzalez helps his den get their handmade cars ready for the annual Pinewood Derby. Photo courtesy of Sgt. Gonzalez |
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| Participants in CCSO's Explorer's Program take part in a Firearms Training Simulator (FATS) exercise. Photo by Sgt.Michael Butcher/CCSO |
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Sheriff Kevin
Rambosk shows Sgt. Gonzalez's den his office during a recent visit to CCSO
Headquarters. Photo courtesy of Sgt. Gonzalez
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Sgt. Russel
Steward, rear left, is shown after a hiking trip to the Big Rock at Camp Rainy
Mountain, a Boy Scout Camp in Georgia, in June 2015. Photo courtesy of Sgt. Steward
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