Thursday, February 11, 2010

An Open Letter to my Junior Beta Club Members

Beta Club is not just about getting good grades, although that’s certainly one of the qualifications. Being a Beta, to me it seems, is about service; service done from a pure motivation, not in order to be seen and admired.

In the news in recent years I have seen lots of stories about “giving back to the community.” I am of a mixed view on this idea. Yes, it’s true- we are our brother’s keeper, and we are to watch out and help our fellow man. But we are not to do this because we have a debt to pay to our fellow man. Rather, we can help others because it is the right thing to do.

I’m far from perfect. I sometimes say things that hurt others feelings. I am forgetful and aloof. I am, in some things, selfish and private in not sharing myself with others. These are things I am working on to change, with God’s help. When you help others, it changes your heart, just a little bit. That’s what service in Beta club is all about.

G.Houtchens

Armchair coach

Amateur historian