Welcome to First in Flight

Mothers & Sons Serving Together to Impact Their Local Community

Welcome to our Chapter of the Young Men’s Service League!

The four years of high school go by incredibly fast. Finding time to spend together with your teenage son gets harder and harder. When you join YMSL, you commit to spending quality time together with your son serving your community.

In these moments, he sees your dedication to serving others. You see his eyes and heart become open to the world around him. These are memories to last a lifetime and service projects that impact our community forever.

In addition to service, YMSL offers valuable leadership opportunities and a four-year curriculum that covers topics such as car repair, interview skills, cooking, hazing prevention, and more.

We hope you will consider joining us. The time to start the membership process is during your son’s 8th-grade year. We look forward to meeting you and serving together. Scroll down for more details.

About YMSL

The Young Men’s Service League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit national organization. Members of YMSL are moms and their teenage sons who volunteer together to serve their local communities during his four years of high school. YMSL currently represents over 27,000 members and young men as part of more than 153 chapters across 20 states. 

YMSL offers moms service opportunities and time together with her son(s) to grow their relationship and to instill in him a heart of service to last a lifetime. In addition to service, as part of its four-year comprehensive program, YMSL teaches leadership and life skills to develop our young men to become the capable, confident, and compassionate leaders of tomorrow.

The pillars of the YMSL experience are service, learning, and leadership. YMSL is a four-year comprehensive program. Requirements for membership include:

YMSL Mentor (Sponsor)

YMSL is a sponsorship organization; a prospective member needs to be mentored (sponsored) by a current member of the chapter she wishes to join. Contact membership for guidance. Enrollment is during the son’s 8th-grade year. 

4-Year Commitment

Joining YMSL is a four-year commitment. Young men and their mothers are expected to remain active in the chapter during his four years of high school. An annual Volunteer and Senior Recognition Banquet is held each spring.

20 Hours of Service

A minimum of 20 service hours is required annually at a variety of chapter-approved philanthropies. Half of these hours must be served as a Mother/Son team.

Job within the Chapter

Each mom and son must individually serve in a job or leadership position within the chapter. Positions rotate annually. Roles offer valuable experience and leadership opportunities.

5 Meetings

A structured four-year curriculum for young men covers a variety of life skills and brings in local speakers. Young men must attend at least 5 meetings per year. Moms must attend at least 3 meetings per year.

Membership Fees

YMSL annual chapter dues and banquet fee.

Contact membership for more details.

Joining YMSL

Ready to take the next step?

Enrollment for new members takes place in January/February/March of the son’s 8th-grade year.

If you do not know anyone in YMSL, please contact us to assist you.

YMSL is a sponsorship organization, which means a prospective member needs to be sponsored by a current member of the chapter they wish to join.

If you would like to learn more about joining, please click the contact membership button below to send us a message. 

Our Chapter’s Membership Dates & Deadlines for Enrollment:
  • 10-31-2023Legacy Forms Due Date
  • 01-31-2024Sponsor Forms Due
  • 02-08-2024@7pm – Prospective Member Informational Meeting
  • 02-11-2024@3pm – Prospective Member Informational Meeting
  • 03-01-2024Letters of Intent Due

Contact Membership

Testimonials

YMSL has been a great opportunity, I’ve been able to give back to my community in meaningful ways, all while growing closer to my Mom and friends!
Cary Blanton, Class of 2022Cary NC
YMSL has provided me with the opportunity to not only serve the community, but engage with them as well. It has placed me in positions of leadership where I will be able to develop the life skills I will need in the future!
Colin Blackwell, Class of 2023Cary NC

Leadership

Our Chapter’s Leadership Board

Kristen Campbell

Board Member: President

Diane D’Agostin

Board Member: First Vice President

Susan Shell

Board Member: Parliamentarian

Jennifer O’Sullivan

Board Member: Secretary

Valerie Short

Board Member: Treasurer

Uta Zacharias

Board Member: VP Communications

Rhonda Zillmer

Board Member: VP Membership

Nocha Van Thielen

Board Member: VP Philanthropy

Joni Klem

Board Member: VP Website

Kathy Catullo

Board Member: VP Young Men Coordinator

LaShana Morris

Board Member: Assistant VP Philanthropy

Tara Yunker

Board Member: Assistant Secretary

Lisa Carden

Board Member: Assistant Treasurer

Philanthropies we Serve

Alphabetical List

  • Abilities Tennis Association of North Carolina
  • Brown Bag Ministry
  • Dorcas Ministries
  • Durham Children’s Initiative
  • Durham Food Bank
  • GCF Global (Goodwill Community Foundation)
  • Gigi’s Playhouse
  • Habitat Restore – Morrisville
  • Healing Transitions
  • HEARTS (Helping each adolescent reach their spark)
  • Interfaith Food Shuttle
  • Kramden Institute
  • Miracle League of the Triangle
  • NC Senior Games
  • Northwest Cary YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association)
  • Note in the Pocket
  • Oak City Cares
  • Passage Home
  • Roc Solid Foundation
  • Ronald McDonald House – Chapel Hill
  • Salvation Army
  • Sleep in Heavenly Peace
  • Special Olympics
  • The Carying Place
  • The Hope Center at Pullen
  • Title 1 School-Fox Road Elementary School
  • Town of Cary
  • USO

If you are a philanthropy interested in partnering with our chapter, we would love to hear from you. Please use the contact our chapter button below. 

Contact our Chapter

We look forward to hearing from you about membership or how our members can serve your philanthropy and our community. Click the button below to contact our chapter.

If you are interested in joining our chapter, please use the contact membership button in the Join section.

To learn more about the YMSL National organization visit: YMSL.org

To see a full list of chapters visit: YMSL.org/find-a-chapter

YMSL Privacy Policy

Contact Our Chapter