Stories of Support

Herb: I'm here today with a very special guest, a wonderful supporter of our organization, came into our lives and our kids' lives about five years ago. He's the star of a TV show called House Crashers. He's here today, his name is Josh Temple, and it's great to have him here at Boys Town.

Josh: Hey Herb.

Herb: Hey Josh, welcome back. How are you?

Josh: Always good to see you sir.

Herb: Great seeing you.

Josh: Yeah. Yeah, and I mean look at the, look at the...

Herb: A new tie, just for you.

Josh: Looking sharp.

Herb: Really. Thank you.

Josh: Very nice. Very nice.

Herb: Unbelievable.

Josh: You know I always say, you know, in the English language when we say Herbs, but I gotta remember to do the ha with you.

Herb: Yeah.

Josh: Superb Herb.

Herb: Superb Herb. And the Paul Bunyan looks good on you.

Josh: Well, you know what I'm calling myself today.

Herb: Yeah.

Josh: Father Flannel again.

Herb: Oh, man. There you go.

Josh: Heyoooo, Dad jokes.

Herb: I was gonna put checkers on you and say King me, but we don't have to do that. So tell me, how did you get to Boys Town in the first place, you weren't a bad kid were you?

Josh: I was a bad kid, but that's not the way I got here. No. I was doing a House Crash in Omaha, and Boys Town reached out to me and said, "Hey, would you be willing to do a public service announcement." So I said, "Sure. What's Boys Town?" So while we were getting ready for the PSA, the historian Tom Lynch took me through the museum and basically explained to me not only who you are but what you do and what you've done, and at that point for 95 years, and the mission and all of it. And it blew, it just blew me away. And the moment...I remember I said I wanna be a part of this forever.

Herb: You didn't start at first in the Trace, tell us a little bit about how you started in California.

Josh: So I grew up in a small town. I was born in Oakland and then after two months I moved to this small town in central California, it's a farm town basically that's growing up quite a bit. But my father is an attorney and my mom is an English professor. So academia was really big in our world. And so I did high school and then went to college and graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara. So I got into comedy. I saw some comedy shows and I said, "I can do that, I really wanna do that." And so it was a really good time for me because I fell in love with construction and I fell in love with entertainment and comedy, then Home Improvement TV came around in 2003 and that just became my career.

Herb: What skill sets do you think young people need today to excel in the world of carpentry is it? You know, it's a little more challenging than a lot of people think today, or is it just the same as it was 30 years ago?

Josh: You know, I'm not sure if it is the same, but I will tell you that the fundamentals are sort of the same to succeed anywhere. And one thing that's fantastic, unparalleled about construction, is that at the end of the day you literally can see what you've done with your mind, and with your hands and, and you can walk away saying, "I built that."

Herb: Boys Town has evidently been a special place in your heart. What do you tell folks about Boys Town?

Josh: The spirit that's here is so strong, and the camaraderie, and that so many different wonderful people are working for such a wonderful goal. But the nuts and bolts of this is, look, there's some kids here that had a tough go early on, or, you know what, not even their fault. All of a sudden they just got born into a tough environment, and they didn't have the chances that you and I had. And those are the first things I say. And these are good kids because I've met them, and I've had dinner with them, I've broken bread with a lot of these kids. And I've taught them, and I've sat there in the classrooms and watched them learn, and watch them try, and watch them pull themselves up every single time.

And that they deserve a chance. And the fact that Boys Town, this institution is here to allow that, I don't know why everyone doesn't wanna be involved. That it's all in place. It was so easy for me to be a part of Boys Town because it's been in place. What father Flanagan started a hundred years ago, that has now allowed anyone with that desire, with that spirit, to be a part of it. So, either give, or come and work, just come and see it, and you won't be disappointed.

I mean, I cry every time I come here. And I wanted to tell you one more thing about this, Herb. When you and I are done with this and when everyone that we're all working with Trade life is done with it, I want Omaha and Boys Town graduates to be the gold standard for whatever trade they go in. So that any employer that looks at a resume and says, "That kid learned at Boys Town? Hire him."

Herb: Right.

Josh: Because, not only is it what they've learned in the classroom, but it's what they've learned with their family teachers, what they've learned with all of their teachers, with all of the disciplines that you've taught them, that you have all here taught them.

Herb: We have a lot of inspired kids because of you, so I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of those kids for doing what you do. And that's being Josh Temple. And I wish you the best in the future. One of these days the goal would be to have you christen the new home that was built by Boys Town kids that was sold and brought money to Boys Town to help other kids. How about that. Come back for that?

Josh: Herb, I'm just getting started.

Herb: That is great. Thanks.

Josh: Thank you.