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The 2008 NASE Future Entrepreneur Scholarship
When Patrick Kaltenbach left for the National Boy Scout Jamboree in July
2005, he had no idea that it would change his life.
By Jan Norman
The Newtonville, Mass., resident was already a straight-A student at St.
Sebastian’s School in Needham and president of the freshman class. He was also a
competitive skier and spent weekends on community service such as collecting
food for the hungry.
But that ill-fated Jamboree was marred by the death
of four adult leaders in a freak accident while pitching a tent and 110-degree
temperatures that sickened hundreds of Scouts.
“It was the most
frightening experience of my life,” Patrick says. “Struggling against the
dizziness of dehydration, surrounded by boys vigorously shaking their friends
just to determine if they were conscious. I slipped an arm around a younger
Scout but I was barely strong enough to help him.”
Suddenly two soldiers
arrived to help. The U.S. military sent troops, helicopters, trucks, ambulances
and buses to give emergency treatment to the sick and transport them to
hospitals.
“I will never forget their quick and professional action,”
Patrick says. “I offered my feeble thanks but I knew this was not enough. It
really hit me because just hours earlier I had been chatting with other soldiers
about their own scouting experiences. They seemed like kids. Just like me.”
Less than a month later, Patrick watched on television as other U.S.
soldiers helped victims of Hurricane Katrina. He took greater interest in
stories of U.S. soldiers overseas. He wanted to do something to let them know
they were appreciated and not forgotten.
Then he got an idea, based on
soldiers’ memories of relishing Boy Scout popcorn heated over a campfire. Why
not help them relive those memories by sending them some microwave popcorn?
“Nothing earth shattering, nothing great,” he says. “Yet the older I get
the more I realize that it is these small gestures that make life so special.”
Patrick’s business-like approach to the project, which became known as
TroopTreats, would make any entrepreneur proud. His hard work, perseverance in
the face of opposition, and ability to rally others to his vision no doubt
contributed to his selection as recipient of the 2008 NASE Future Entrepreneur
Scholarship.
Patrick will receive up to $24,000 toward his education at
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. He receives $12,000 in the first
year and $4,000 in each of the next three years. It is the largest scholarship
of its kind in the U.S. and the only one that promotes the entrepreneurial
philosophy.
Even before he launched TroopTreats, Patrick demonstrated
his can-do spirit of helpfulness. Hurricane Katrina was just hours old when
Patrick called the national Boy Scout office to find out what he could do to
help, says his mom, Pat McCarthy, an NASE Member and owner of a high-tech
consulting firm.
“Patrick put fliers around the neighborhood to collect
items for people in New Orleans,” Pat says. “Patrick thought he would get a box
or two, but carts and carts full of products came in.”
His Project Help
Now shipped $15,000 worth of needed toiletries to Louisiana. The project also
gave Patrick confidence that his more ambitious popcorn-for-soldiers project
could work, too.
At first, TroopTreats seemed doomed. Because of the
9/11 terrorist attacks, individual overseas shipments addressed to “any soldier”
were prohibited for security reasons. Adults told Patrick the project was too
complicated, but he persevered and found USO Operation Care Package in
Washington, D.C. That group’s support persuaded the local Boy Scout Council to
get involved and popcorn manufacturer Trails’ End to ship the popcorn directly
to the USO. That not only solved the security problem, it freed TroopTreats of
shipping costs.
Patrick wanted TroopTreats to have broad support, so
rather than seek large contributions, he asked individuals for just $1. Each
dollar sent one bag of popcorn overseas and earned money for local Scout troops,
a win-win proposition.
Patrick created posters and fliers. Later he
would create stationary, business cards and thank-you postcards, which he paid
for with earnings from his summer jobs.
The first weekend Patrick went
out fundraising was marked by rain, wind and snow. He was soaked to the skin. Of
the 300 people he approached only four would talk to him, and three of those
gave him anti-military lectures. But one man stopped, donated a dollar and then
said, “Thanks, boys. I just came back from serving. No matter how wet and
miserable you feel right now, the guys over there appreciate what you are doing.
Your popcorn is really hope. And we live on hope.”
That encouragement
kept Patrick going. He gave speeches about TroopTreats to local church groups,
developed an e-mail marketing list, wrote press releases and sent photos to the
local newspaper. In 2006, 100 volunteers helped him. In 2007, 200 people stepped
up.
Patrick developed startup packages including tip sheets to help new
volunteers, and he arranged for TroopTreats to participate in city fairs and
open-air markets. During the three prime fundraising months, Patrick worked 25
hours a week on the project.
In three years, TroopTreats has sent 40,000
bags of popcorn to military personnel overseas. This year Patrick was named
Massachusetts’ top high school volunteer. The Boy Scouts are rolling out a
national Support Our Troops program based on TroopTreats.
“It is rare
that you will find such a spirit of unselfishness and determination in such a
young person,” says Ronald Wise, director of USO Operation Care Package. “Where
others shy away from lending a hand, he is very involved in the community.”
But TroopTreats is hardly the extent of Patrick’s achievements. He has
been a volunteer tutor for the Boys and Girls Club for five years, founded the
robotics club at his school, competed on the math and ski teams at school, and
mentored younger Scouts, all while earning a 3.95 grade point average.
“I have not seen a student in my 21 years at St. Sebastian’s who has
performed in more extracurricular activities than Patrick,” says Newell Hall,
director of college counseling.
This may be just the beginning. Patrick
plans to study science and engineering and eventually start his own engineering
design firm.
“People often ask if I started TroopTreats for my Boy Scout
Eagle project,” he says. “I am not doing TroopTreats for my Eagle Scout rank but
because I AM an Eagle Scout. I learned an important lesson: One person truly can
make a difference.”