Tim Martin first joined Cub Scouts at age 6, encouraged by his service-oriented grandparents.
He dedicated years of service to the organization, ultimately becoming an Eagle Scout and serving as leader of about 1,800 Central Maryland Boy Scouts — all voluntarily.
Now, the junior mathematics major and president of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity will take his service to a new area: for Gov. Larry Hogan.
The governor’s office announced Jan. 28 the addition of seven new members to serve on Hogan’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism for the next three years. Martin, who was appointed to the commission as of Jan. 1, will attend his first commission meeting Feb. 17 in Annapolis.
“It’s just another day in the park for me,” Martin said. “It’s the things I’ve grown up on — putting others before yourself.”
The commission, established in 1994, is rooted in volunteerism and responsible for managing and overseeing national service program AmeriCorps funding for the state, including more than 1,000 AmeriCorps state members.
Commissioners also help host community, nonprofit organization or government agency meetings to spread the word about what the office does, how it can help the community and how to recruit and engage volunteers in the area, said Jeffrey Griffin, the director of the commission.
Martin, who accepted a youth representative position, joins an existing bipartisan group of 25 state resident volunteers and will be the commission’s youngest serving member, Griffin said.
“He is a proven leader,” Griffin said. “I think he’s going to be listened to very carefully. … His voice is a very important voice.”
Martin grew up in Sparrows Point, raised by his grandparents since he was 5 years old. His grandfather, a retired fireman, engaged in public service for years, which Martin said probably motivated him to volunteer and remain in Cub Scouts.
“It had a really good, positive effect on me,” he said. “My grandparents raised me the right way. They taught me those ideals, not to be selfish.”
In addition to working with the Boy Scouts of America, Martin was also involved in scouting’s national honor society, the Order of the Arrow, which he described as a values-based scouting fraternity focusing on brotherhood, cheerfulness and service.
He held leadership positions in the organization since 2008 but served as the lodge chief — or president — of the Order of the Arrow’s Nentico Lodge last year, managing the members and budget for all of Central Maryland.
Pam Fleagle, lodge adviser for the Order of the Arrow’s Nentico Lodge, served as Martin’s adviser while he was lodge chief. She knew he would be successful as soon as he started, she said.
Some chiefs in the past took the position just to say they did it, but the year Martin took over resulted in an overwhelming number of youth members stepping up for new positions, she said.
“When [Martin] puts his mind to something, he goes head over heels,” Fleagle said. “He is very, very determined. He has very strong values and he just knows what he wants. He’s that kid.”
Including a younger member on the commission is essential, as the commission funds some youth programs, Griffin said. The commission members should have a grasp on challenges that children face so it can help to better serve those in different communities.
“We want [Martin’s] advice when we’re developing ideals or strategies,” Griffin said. “It only makes sense to have a youth member who can help us describe what some of the issues that the kids are facing.”
Even though he has since aged out of the Order of the Arrow, Martin still works closely with the youth involved with the program today.
With at least four full meetings a year and several subcommittees he can take part in, Martin will be expected to dedicate about 10 hours a month to the commission and its duties.
