Since getting out of the Army, I’ve gotten involved with a number of veterans groups. I’ve avoided the ones that organize outdoors activities, though, because I did enough of those while serving.
Which made me glad that the local chapter of the Travis Manion Foundation, a veterans group that focuses on character building, teamed up with Story Pirates, an education nonprofit, for Story Love. Story Pirates cast members visit schools to help kids write stories and then act out a few of those stories. To make sure no one feels left out, even if their story isn’t performed, volunteers write an encouraging note to every participant through the Story Love program.
That’s right up my alley! The Travis Manion Foundation’s Story Love nights are a blast. The Story Pirates have a letter template so we can focus on reading about fascinating creatures and their excellent adventures—such as dogs playing basketball, dinosaurs taking time machines to outer space, foods finding secret portals in the supermarket—and commending the authors for their vivid imagination.
I caught the writing bug early and kept at it, thanks to the supportive adults in my life. Maybe one of these young writers will someday appear in Guideposts.
Would your group like to spread some Story Love? Visit storypirates.org/story-love to learn how.
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