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Dear Visitor: 

The Midwest Central Young Marines have completed their first year of activities in this outstanding program.  We, the Command Staff feel that now is a good time to reflect back on what we have accomplished this past year with the young people who have shown the determination and dedication necessary to persevere in the Young Marine program.

The mission of the Young Marines is to positively impact America's future by providing quality youth development programs for boys and girls that nurtures and develops its members into responsible citizens.

Our objectives include:

·         To promote the physical, moral and mental development of its members.

·         Instill in its members 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 of America

·         Promote physical fitness through the conduct of physical activities, including participation in athletic events and close order drill

·         Advocate a healthy, drug-free lifestyle through continual drug prevention education

We believe that these are qualities with which everyone, young and old, can live by.  We would like to believe that to keep our country strong; all of you would believe in these same qualities.  Respect, consideration, discipline, integrity and honor are not just words, but a way of life.  This is what we have tried to instill in our Young Marines.

Listed below are just a few of the numerous events the Midwest Central Young Marines participated in.  This list does not include the requests for color guard, the parades we have participated in and many other activities we have taken part in.

·        After 9-11 our Young Marines took up a drive in the community of Manito and presented the Red Cross Disaster Fund with over $1000.

·        November 3, 2001 we participated in “Make a Difference Day” by volunteering to rake and clean yards of senior citizens in our community of Manito.  We also baked and decorated cookies and made candy in preparation of our visit to the Veteran’s Hospital in Danville.

·        November 11, 2001, we participated in Pekin’s Veteran’s Day ceremonies at the Veteran’s Cemetery and at the courthouse.

·        November 17, 2001 we went to the Danville Veteran’s Hospital as our answer to the National Young Marines call-to-action for Veteran’s Appreciation Week.

·        December 7-9, 2001 sixty-four Young Marines from across the state of Illinois took part in the 1^st Battalion encampment in Sand Ridge Forest.  Temperatures dropped to 17° but our youth withstood the cold and carried on without complaint.

·        Beginning in January 2002, the Young Marines received sixteen weeks of swim instruction from the YWCA in Pekin.  From these lessons, two received their lifeguard certifications.

·        February 12, 2002 we received a special invitation to attend the 28^th Annual Salute to Veteran’s at the VA Hospital in Danville. 

·        May 24, 2002 we were again invited to the Peoria VA Clinic for their Salute to Veterans.

·        Memorial Weekend we hosted the 2^nd Battalion Encampment in which the Young Marines received training in wilderness survival.

·        July 27, 2002 Young Marines, sixth grade and older were certified in CPR.  This was an all day class.

·        On September 2, several Young Marines assisted with placing flags on graves at the Green Valley Cemetery.

·        On the one-year anniversary of 9-11, the Young Marines participated in their own schools observance of this fateful day.  We also were invited to take part in a remembrance ceremony at Delevan’s Veterans Park.

Along with these and many other outside activities, we spend nearly every Saturday teaching close order drill (left face, right face, etc.), land navigation, first aid, drug awareness, and physical fitness.  We practice regularly just as a basketball team or band members would practice in order to be the best they can be.  The coach or band director would expect no less – nor do we.  Just as the coach or band director wants to win first place, we too, want the Young Marines to be successful in life’s journey.

We also stress the importance of physical fitness.  We do this because:  1) it promotes a healthy lifestyle, 2) the National Young Marines Headquarters has required that all Young Marines pass the Physical Fitness test in order to participate in national events such as encampments and classes.

We all know and understand the importance of being in good physical condition.  If started early in life, good health and fitness is a habit that should continue throughout one’s lifetime. 

In closure, the staff of the Midwest Central Young Marines would like to thank the parents of these youth for sharing your young people with us and allowing us the opportunity to share our knowledge and experiences.  We put our hearts and souls into this program in the hopes that our country will continue to be strong and that our Young Marines will be contributing factors towards this country’s prosperity.

Have an outstanding day,                                                                                                            Return Previous Page

Midwest Central Young Marines