Memorial Day
Wallace Bruce (1844-1914)

I come with chaplet woven new
From May-day flowers, to fade away;
You come to-night, brave boys in blue,
With record bright, to last for aye.

While Trail Life Troops across the country have made a tradition of honoring our country's fallen heroes by placing flags at the tombs of veterans during Memorial Day weekend, this year, in the wake of Coronavirus, Trail Life USA and other groups have been barred from carrying out mass flag placements of this sort. 

Trail Life USA invites America’s families to make memories with ‘virtual’ backyard movie event May 16.

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Thousands of families across all 50 states are gearing up to take part in a one-of-a-kind backyard “virtual” movie event -- following the success of the first-ever National Backyard Campout last month.

"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning, but for children, play is serious learning.”
-Fred Rogers

Across the country schools are closing for the duration of the year leaving many parents feeling anxious about educating their children at home, and managing the extra down-time without the flurry of activities and sports that have become part of summertime in America. The truth is, this extra time at home may be just what your child needs.

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- More than 5,000 families across America took part in the first-ever “National Backyard Campout” Friday night, organized by boys adventure movement Trail Life USA (www.TrailLifeUSA.com).

Families in all 50 states -- from Hawaii to Maine and from Florida to Alaska -- camped out under the stars in their own backyards, or set up a tent indoors uniting America in one common virtual experience.

Trail Life USA invites families across U.S. to campout in backyard April 17.

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Boys adventure movement Trail Life USA (www.TrailLifeUSA.com) today announced its first-ever “National Backyard Campout” -- encouraging families to “make memories” during the COVID-19 lockdown.

1. Cultivate Relationships

Boys need dads who remember the world of backyard matchbox cars. Who can recall the time when dirt roads were carved from mulch beds, rocks became doughnut shops, cars drove to the tops of trees, and perils awaited in the grass jungles.

Across the country parents are scrambling to figure out how to help their children thrive during an unexpected extended school vacation. Keeping kids (especially boys) busy and engaged in a constrained setting can be a challenge.

But it doesn't have to be a disaster.

"Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray."
Luke 5:16

My master was a Man, who knew
The rush of rain, the drip of dew,
The wistful whisper of the breeze,
Night's magic and its mysteries.

Manhood is in crisis today. The increasingly accurate term “perpetual adolescence” is not a reference to girls failing to grow up. We intuitively know it refers to 20- and 30-something men. Men are falling behind women in college enrollment and graduation; they’re increasingly unemployed; and traditionally male-dominated industries are disappearing. They are more likely to be homeless and to use and abuse all almost all types of illicit drugs and alcohol. Ninety-nine percent of all prison inmates are male, as well as 98 percent of death-row inmates. Men are not doing well. In many ways, they are becoming the “weaker sex.”