What is the Day of Cheerful Service About?
Just a bit of background about our son . . .
Gavin is an Eagle Scout whose life was taken far too soon. On April 29, 2022, Gavin went storm chasing in Kansas with his friends Drake and Nic. They caught a tornado and had an amazing night! Tragically, just a few hours later, all three of their lives ended in a terrible auto accident.
We love Gavin and want to continue his legacy of kindness and volunteerism. Please join us in a Day of Cheerful Service in Gavin’s honor. A commitment to cheerful service is one of the central tenets of the Order of the Arrow – the Scouting honor society that Gavin joined in 2016.
We are planning two opportunities for you to help with in 2026:
– Participate in a session at Feed My Starving Children
– Spring clean-up & brush maintenance for the Wildwood Park District
If you are able to volunteer in person, we invite you to wear a shirt that honors Gavin in some way. Here are some suggestions:
– Scouting t-shirts
– Chicago Cubs fan gear
– Weather/meteorology related shirts
– Woodland wear (green and white)
– Grayslake Central spirit wear (green and white)
– University of Oklahoma clothing (crimson and cream)
– Shirts from the First Annual Day of Cheerful Service
– Super Mario Bros t-shirts (that one’s for Danny)
Any of these would bring smiles to our faces.
We are grateful for the outpouring of support from our communities. We are looking forward to giving back – and doing so in honor of Gavin’s kind spirit. Thank you!
Beth & Allan Short
If you have any questions or are having difficulty signing up, please reach out to beth@theshortpeople.com
Here is a documentary that our son Evan made
about the 2025 Day of Cheerful Service
Morning Event – Feed My Starving Children
Feed My Starving Children is open to ages 5+ and can accommodate varying levels of physical ability. Please register directly on the Feed My Starving Children website using the link below.
Afternoon Event – Wildwood Park District
In the afternoon we will gather at two different parks within Wildwood from 1-4 pm, where members of the park district’s staff will help to direct and guide us through several projects at both locations. The park district will provide water and snacks for our volunteers, as well as their own staff to operate Gators and other heavy equipment.
Volunteers should come dressed appropriately for the weather. Please bring eye protection (and hearing protection if desired), gloves, hand tools/tree trimming tools, closed toed shoes, and extra water if you’d like.
Can’t stay for the whole time? No worries! We’ll be happy to see you even if you can only stay for a little while. Every little bit helps!
Sign Up to Help the Wildwood Park District
Register Now Using The Links Below
Feed My Starving Children
April 25, 2026
9am – 10:45am
Wildwood Park District
April 25, 2026
1pm – 4pm
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BAEAE2CA0FA7-62214485-fourth