Goose had been at Cat Town for a while. So long that he was labeled a “long-term resident” of the cat rescue shelter in Oakland, Calif. Lucky for Goose, Michael Hendricks’ family had adopted their cat there.
When Michael was looking for a project to earn the Summit rank, the Venturer with Crew 566 of Saratoga, Calif., considered giving back to Cat Town. Like many shelters, Cat Town operates social media pages to advertise its adoptable animals. So Michael studied the shelter’s Instagram and TikTok pages.
“They hadn’t posted anything in TikTok in months,” the now 21-year-old says. “I figured I could make cat videos and maybe get some cats adopted, using the skills I learned in high school.”
Helping the shelter
Michael pitched his idea to Cat Town’s executive director, who gave him the green light. Soon, Michael was filming the adoptable felines and editing the footage into creative, captivating reels.
He produced a set of 10 videos that the shelter staff could then post on social media. Each had a theme, like magic or superheroes, and music that matched.
For Goose, Michael chose to build a scene within the videogame Minecraft. He recorded what he created in the game: play structures and shelter cats, including a model of the 7-year-old orange cat.
“It blew me away; I was so happy when I saw it,” says Richard Hendricks, Michael’s father and crew Advisor.
The video project worked. It led to more views and more cats getting connected with their forever families – including Goose.
“It brought back a certain audience that was needed,” Michael says. “They learned from my project and tried to incorporate my style into more of their videos.”
@cattownoak IRL #Minecraft cat? 🐾 Meet Goose, our pixelated lookalike! Just like in the game, he’s ready to follow you everywhere and be your loyal sidekick. 💚 Ready to level up with Goose? Link in bio! #minecrafttiktok #minecraftIRL #catrescue #catcafe #cattown #catadoption #adoptdontshop #adopt #cattownoak #cattownoakland #oakland #catsoftiktok #nonprofit
Why Venturing?
Michael joined Cub Scouts in the first grade as a Tiger. He advanced through the ranks and crossed over into Scouts BSA. He went to the 2023 National Jamboree, serving as the senior patrol leader of his council’s contingent. Then he attended the 2019 World Scout Jamboree, serving as his contingent’s historian. He earned the Eagle Scout rank when he was 17 years old.
But after earning the highest rank within the program, he didn’t know what else he wanted to do.
“I was extraordinarily bored,” he says. “I turn 18 and then I become an adult? Then I saw the older youth programs.”
In addition to Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA, Scouting America offers Exploring, Sea Scouting and Venturing. Venturing is the organization’s program for young men and women ages 14 to 21 (or 13 with completion of the eighth grade).
In Venturing, the youth primarily run the program. Do the Venturers want to hang out and go bowling together this month? Sounds fun! Do they want to work on saving up for a backcountry adventure in another state? Awesome! Or maybe they want to earn ranks and special awards? Great!
“There are hundreds of different options; all you have to do is look,” Michael says.
The Venturing crew affiliated with Michael’s troop had all but fizzled out. Inspired by the possibilities, Michael began recruiting his friends from his troop and the linked girls troop.
“This gave them a way to hang out with their fellow teens,” Richard says. “It has to be fun, but it has to fit in the schedule of your Venturers.”
Venturing presents three tiers of adventure, ranging from easy daytrips to four-day treks. Crew 566 scheduled outings to the local bowling alley and ice rink. This grew into trips to Disneyland, Philmont Cavalcade, and Florida Sea Base. Today, about 20 Venturers make up Crew 566.
A family in Scouting
Richard couldn’t be a Scout as a youth since his father was a doctor and often on call. The family moved frequently too. But his late father — an Eagle Scout and Air Force veteran — “treated the family like a patrol” and instilled in him a love for the outdoors. So after Michael joined the Cub Scouts, it felt natural for Richard to step into adult leadership roles.
“This has always been about family — being able to experience the entire program together,” Richard says.
“This has always been about family; being able to experience the entire program together,” Richard says.
Over three generations, Scouting’s values shaped the Hendricks family to help their communities.
“Every part of the Scouting program — the leadership growth, the spiritual growth, being connected to the outdoors — it’s made us better people,” Richard says.
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