Hello to all Moms! My husband, Alex, and I and our family have been part of GO-FIRST from the beginning. Our oldest child, Alana, was a leader in the Horry County Junior Lifeguard Program conducted by the Seaside Elementary School, which Alex and I support through our Eternal Wave surf store in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. When the school program and its leader, Duke Brown, hosted GO-FIRST, we joined up and, soon thereafter, Alana and I helped lead the inaugural GO-FIRST National Camp in Washington, DC. Since then, Alana represented South Carolina in the GO-FIRST New Zealand Camp and the GO-FIRST Alaska Camp 2007. I joined her on the Alaska adventure and came back with many life-enriching lessons.

As a Mom, a Believer and a Board Member, I want to share a few points about the program that I believe are important for any Mom considering sending her child to a GO-FIRST Camp.
Every Mom wants to know what kind of people her child will be spending time with. Alex and I have met and worked with a number of the GO-FIRST leaders and Camp directors. We know that Noel Gould, the cofounder; Alexandria Fire Department Captain Rodney Masser, the Director of the National Camp; and the Mentors from the many public safety, health, education and homeland security services who lead the Camps are good men and women, dedicated to The Mission of Life and to helping grow up kids who are “safer, stronger, smarter and ready to lead and serve in an increasingly challenging world.

Many of our Special Guest Mentors serve our nation in special assignments. Former U.S. Army Surgeon General Dr. James Peake, who always helps in our National Camps, is now our U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

To make sure all the Mentors and other educators share our values and commitment, the Standards and Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors – which I am a member of – always asks the commanding officer or senior supervisor of the First Responder and education organizations we work with to certify that we are working with well-known, full-time personnel, who have passed background checks and annual reviews. Our directors go through a similar process run by an independent child safety organization – and we always invite one or two parents or teachers of the participating students to accompany their children so that a parent or teacher representative is always on board.

We present GO-FIRST programs for middle and high school students who are interested in being ready for The Mission of Life by learning the values, skills, sciences, technologies and tactical athletics of First Responders.

Its an education by perspiration and inspiration, led by a worldwide range of First Responders – from the US Coast Guard to Global Humanitarian Response and Relief Agencies to Environmental Protectors to Local Fire, Police, EMS and Marine Safety.

To give you a good look, here is a slide show from start to finish of the 2007 National Camp for you to review. — WilsonPWilson Photography

We send parents and teachers a special introductory package that includes a general schedule and what to pack – along with some forms that require major reading and study, such as the Rules and Regulations of Participation, which is our Code of Conduct.

The what to pack information will give you a sense of both the hard work and adventure learning we enjoy in every Camp – at least three changes of sport clothing are required because it’s a hands-on, high energy program. And keeping good notes in the Camp Notebook is just as important, because we stress the “above the shoulders” brain work that you need to understand and master the applied sciences and technologies that First Responders use in life vs. death situations.

You usually receive this Parent/Participant/School Information Packet from the First Responder, education or youth program helping host and recruit for a specific Camp.

I trust this information is helpful to you. And if you have any questions, please send me an email at julieksing@hotmail.com. As a Mom, you will understand if this one, running between our store, our four children, our house, church, and an occasional date with my husband takes a few days to get back to you. But I promise I will.

Thank you for being interested in GO-FIRST and The Mission of Life.

This is a little extra note from Alana Sing, for those Moms reading this who have daughters thinking about going to a GO-FIRST program.

I am a high school student who loves the creative arts and plans to be a leader in whatever I do, even if I just lead as a faithful servant, helper and friend.

It just so happens I also love the ocean, adventure sports and my surfing father and brothers as much as I love reading and listening to music.

For all these reasons and more, I really enjoy participating in GO-FIRST Camps. I will never likely be a full-time First Responder, but I plan to be a full-time leader and ready for any challenge this world brings my way. And that’s what GO-FIRST helps prepare me for.