Last month, I had the opportunity to be a keynote speaker at the annual Distinguished Citizens Award dinner of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council, Boy Scouts of America. The event was held at the Mohegan Sun Pocono Convention Center. The dinner paid tribute to two honorees, Lackawanna College President Mark Volk and engineer Chris Borton, founder and past CEO of Borton-Lawson.
I know how hard it is for kids to sit and listen to grownups giving speeches, so when it was time for my speech, I really tried to be funny as I was talking to them. I wanted them to be engaged. I shared my story with them, about how I was injured in Iraq, losing both legs and my left hand. I told them how I got involved with Quantum and helped design iLevel® technology, so that I could be at eye-level with people.
Later, I had a chance to talk to the kids some more, in person. There was about ten of them altogether. They told me how happy they were that all the speeches moved quickly, and they were ecstatic when I came on, because I was funny, and not dry like the rest of the evening.
I was proud to participate in an event for Boy Scouts of America. I love how the organization teaches kids how to work together as a team, as well as individually. You learn a lot of important life skills and problem-solving skills. With so many kids today glued to their phones and tablets, being involved with Boy Scouts of America is a great way to step back from the digital world. We need to remember that before the Internet, we had the outdoors. Being outside in our backyards and exploring the world is a great opportunity for everyone to experience.
About Bryan Anderson: Bryan grew up and resides in Illinois. Injured by an IED in October 2005, Bryan is one of the few triple amputees to survive his injuries in Iraq. He is an ambassador for the Gary Sinise Foundation and a spokesperson for USA Cares, which is focused on assisting post 9-11 veterans. Click here to learn more about Bryan.