Welcome to the Westlake Chapter

When you and your son join YMSL, you commit to spending quality time together while serving your community. 

The service projects you do together will positively impact your community! The memories you create together will last a lifetime! 

Along with community service projects, YMSL also offers your son valuable leadership opportunities as well as a four-year curriculum that covers topics such interviewing skills, cooking, auto repair, and more.

The membership process begins during your son’s 8th-grade year. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our board members for more information. 

We hope you and your son consider joining the Westlake YMSL Chapter!

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 27,500 members and young men as part of more than 160 chapters across 22 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 mentored and 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:

    Contact Membership

    Testimonials

    “My son and I were new to the area. YMSL has been a great way to connect with other Moms and Young Men in our community!!”
    ~Martie Austin, TX
    “YMSL has been an amazing way to expose our boys to all the wonderful philanthropies in Austin and connect with our community in service.”
    ~MelissaAustin, TX
    “Being a part of YMSL has been such a fun and rewarding way to spend time with my son. Not only are we working together while serving our community, but we are both making new friends along the way!”
    ~SuzanneAustin, TX

    Leadership

    Our Chapter’s Leadership Board

    Gretchen Knape

    Board Member: President

    Jacqueline Keating

    Board Member: First Vice President

    Shelby Hansen

    Board Member: Parliamentarian

    Debbie Cannon

    Board Member: Secretary

    Amy Clark

    Board Member: Treasurer

    Suzanne Newhouse

    Board Member: VP Communications

    Meredith Duncan

    Board Member: VP Membership

    Thessaly Startzell

    Board Member: VP Philanthropy

    Tracy Helms

    Board Member: VP Website

    Melissa Blue

    Board Member: VP Young Men Coordinator

    Martie Gunnoe

    Board Member: Assistant VP Membership

    Kari Riedel

    Board Member: Assistant VP Philanthropy

    Michelle Garner

    Board Member: Assistant Secretary

    Jennifer Roossien

    Board Member: Assistant Treasurer

    Erica-Rae Fiur

    Board Member: Assistant VP Young Men Coordinator

    Philanthropies we Serve

    Alphabetical List

    • ADRN (Austin Disaster Relief Network)
    • Austin Diaper Bank
    • Belmont Village West Lake Hills
    • Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Texas
    • Blunn Creek Partnership/Keep Austin Beautiful
    • BookSpring
    • Brown Santa
    • Camp Buckner
    • Caritas of Austin
    • Central Texas Food Bank
    • Community First! Village
    • Drive A Senior West Austin/Senior Sidekicks
    • Foster Angels of Central Texas
    • Foundation Communities
    • Honor Flight-Austin
    • Hungry Souls
    • Meals on Wheels and More
    • Military Forces Museum, Camp Mabry
    • Operation Blue Santa/Children Helping Children Parade
    • Operation Turkey
    • Pease Park Conservancy
    • Project Linus
    • Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas
    • Settlement Home
    • Soles for Souls
    • Special Olympics Texas
    • Sunshine Camps
    • The Safe Alliance
    • The Trail Foundation
    • Wreaths Across America

    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