Message from Mickey 8/6/2015

Greetings family, friends, supporters, and those who have been following and reading in the last 43 days,

As per the boilerplate form letter I received on July 24, 2015, I was given 60 days to send the National B.S.A Headquarters a request to review the decision of my dismissal. Yesterday that request was mailed overnight delivery and should arrive by this afternoon.

My request included;

ü  A letter explaining my request for reinstatement

ü  Letters from many requesting my reinstatement and speaking to my character and or performance as a Scout, Scout leader and the citizen I am in my community. 

ü  A petition in support of my reinstatement with over thee hundred names THANK YOU to all that have signed it thus far!

ü  My professional work experience over the last 23 years most of which as a youth worker

ü  Training and professional credentials

ü  A Scouting history of my youth and adult years as well as trainings

ü  A copy of my Eagle Scout Certificate, Vigil Certificate, Scout Leader Training Award, and Distinguished Camp Tri-Mount Award. (If they gave out a certificate rather than a plaque for District Award of Merit that would have been included, however it was listed on in my Scouting history)

ü  Lots of photos of me as a Pack and Den Leader, involvement at various Scouting events, involvement in Venture Crew 405 (one of my favorite units to be a part off), my family in Scouting, my “father and son” Scouting moments, and many more photos.

ü  A list of the many other volunteer community activities I have been or am still involved including some pictures.

ü  A DVD copy of the FreeMickey Documentary

ü  And many other documents supporting my case for reinstatement

I want to take this time to formally thank;

Ø  The folks who have thus far sent me letters of support and requests for my reinstatement

Ø  The folks who thus far signed the petition

Ø  Those who have reached out to me in an effort to provide assistance and support through phone calls, text messages, e-mails or Facebook messages, face to face conversations to talk about things or simply ask how I am doing.

Ø  The Naked Crusaders and the time they spent on the production of their FreeMickey documentary

Ø  Members of my extended “Scouting Family” who have been there for me in so many ways and have shown me that there is a “Brotherhood within Scouting” and it runs deep and strong.

Ø  My brother Paul Benjamin, my life long confidante and best friend

Ø  My brother Pete who has been there with me standing with me shoulder to shoulder Love ya Bro! and his wife, my sister in-law Catherine

Ø  My in-laws and extended family members in their support

Ø  My wife Christine who has been my rock in all of this and more than that one of the coordinators of the movement, my secretary, my biggest supporter, my everything. I love you honey! 
Ø  Last but certainly not least my greatest motivation for fighting this injustice and not just walking away, the one person who brought me back into Scouting after a not so active period of time, the apple of my eye and source of pride, my son Michael. You never cease to amaze me with everything you do and your love.  I strive to live my life to be a person of honor and conviction and someone who you can be proud of. I continually try to live my life and “lead by example” so that you may one day grow up to not only follow in my footsteps but become better, do more, and go further in life than I ever did.  I am trying to do my best to teach you through my life the person who you should be and more important how to deal with the adversities that life brings. Love you buddy!

Hopefully haven’t left anyone out

My struggle is not over as the folks at the National BSA Headquarters will be reviewing my letter and materials. Their decision as per the form letter could be soon or could take months.

In the meantime if you still want to write letters I will send them to National. If you haven't yet signed the petition and chose to do so it is not shut down yet. As the petition hits new goals I will also send the lists of names to National.

THANK YOU IS NOT ENOUGH!!!

Love One Another and Leave things better than you found them,

Michael “Mickey” Profera Jr.

   

     

 Perhaps we will meet again on the trail. 

                                              Me and my son when he was  only 3 hours old. Just couldn’t resist posting. He was such a little peanut and already Daddy's little Scouter.