Young people can get a bum rap: just “kids” who have little regard for anything that came before them, for the old days. We look to young people to carry the traditions of an ever-changing community and hope our history will not be lost or forgotten. While this sort of respect for the past might be hard to come by, it is not altogether absent. It is important to recognize local children who bridge the divide from yesterday to today.

Last week, a group of about 20 kids from Fishtown Summer Camp connected with their neighborhood’s history through a fundraising flea market in support of the Elm Tree Post #88, a local American Legion outpost focusing on service to veterans, servicemembers and communities. They also held a cleanup of Palmer Cemetery.

Members of the Elm Tree Post #88 have noticed that youth participation has lessened over recent years. The flea market and the $262.50 in proceeds, which the children themselves presented, gave this group of veterans hope for the future.

“There’s a couple of events each year that give me hope and this is one of them right here. We have young people from our own community putting on a flea market and then turning the money over to veterans,” Tom Callen said. He is in his 44th year at The Post. “We have a very big children and youth programs here at The Post and this will certainly help this effort a lot.”

After presenting the check, a few kids stuck around The Post to interview some of the vets and hear their stories. The remainder of the summer camp group, mostly little ones, crossed the street into Palmer Cemetery. Even after the flea market and cleanup, the kids continued to raise funds, selling tee shirts and ultimately raising an additional $100 for the cemetery. These grounds are maintained by Jim Kingsmill, who remembers working with his father as a kid. He started giving back then and still volunteers his time at the cemetery to this day.

“[Giving back to the community and volunteering] stuck with me. My father was that kind of person and left that instilled in me,” Kingsmill said. “I hope that happens with these young guys. It’s important because I don’t know who’s going to take care of this when I’m gone.”

What is most valuable in Kingsmill’s story is the “passing-down” from father to son, from older down to younger. In part, it was the children who made this event so special, but its overall success hinged on every aspect of a rich community coming together –– involved parents, enthusiastic community members and our veterans, who were willing to share their history and wisdom. Children, after all, are eager to absorb the lessons of their surroundings. It’s too early to tell if any of these youngsters will be the next Jim Kingsmill, but this much is true: the event is one step toward leaving Fishtown in the right hands.