KALISPELL — They are the backbone of our communities, and often they're overlooked and not thanked enough for their service.
Joe Coco volunteers’ hours of his time each week to help children and teenagers in Flathead County learn how to survive and navigate Montana’s great outdoors.
He also teaches the power of community service and giving back to those in need.
“So we’re going to teach them site selection for camp, we’re going to teach them how to start a fire, how to build a shelter,” said Coco.
Watch to hear more from our Unsung Hero Joe Coco:
Joe Coco volunteers his time each week as a Troop Master for Trail Life at Easthaven Baptist Church in Kalispell, helping teach the next generation of Montanans about the great outdoors.
“It rains on everybody, it snows on everybody, the mosquitoes bite everybody, it’s not like the smart kids or the affluent kids or the athletic kids are all going to outperform each other, when you get out there in the wilderness, it’s a great equalizer,” said Coco.
Coco teaches real-life, hands-on outdoor lessons to kids by camping once a month, no matter the season.
“So we have camped every month since we started in October of 2022, with the exception of one particular January where it was so cold our cars wouldn’t start.”
He said lessons range from how to stay warm in sub-freezing temperatures, how to cook for yourself in the wilderness and how to recreate respectfully.
“Pretty much just be able to thrive in the wilderness.”
Coco said there’s nothing better than seeing his students gain self-confidence in the outdoors.
“Remember what he was like when he started, and what he is today, there is so much value in that, it really is self-satisfying.”
Coco highlights the importance of community service to his students, building Toys for Tots each Christmas and doing yard work for neighbors in need.
He encourages everyone in the community to give back in any way they can.
“You can be a reading coach in an elementary school, I know a lot of the schools particularly the rural schools in the area they are always looking for people to come in and just sit down and talk to the kids, and I’m telling you if you do that it will really make your day.”
