THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: Friday, August 4, 1995 TAG: 9508030183 SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
In the wake of the recent destruction at the YMCA at Mount Trashmore, I commend and applaud the directors and staff of the YMCA. They handled the disruption caused by this heinous crime with the utmost professionalism.
My son is a day camper there. When I dropped him off that Monday morning, they told us that there had been a break-in and that the children would not be allowed into the building until it was safe for them. I was also told that an unscheduled field trip had been planned and that the children would be away from the danger imposed by the vandalism.
Of course, I called to be sure that my son was safe and cared for. Since I could not get through to the YMCA at Mount Trashmore, I called the YMCA at Indian River Road. I was assured by the director that the children were safe and that I could pick up my son on the regular schedule. I was assured by the staff that things would be back to normal the next morning.
Diane M. Pell
Virginia Beach
I dropped my son off at the Y child-care center two days after the vandalism. Besides some missing furniture and a few yellow ribbons of caution, everything looked relatively normal. Except my son's classroom. The room had been turned upside down.
The Y staff seemed to be doing what any other strong family does in a crisis: They unite to mourn. Then they start picking up the pieces.
I suspected, then, that this group of vandals chose the Y for that very reason. They raged against the very thing they need: a loving, strong family that aspires to honesty, responsibility, faith, respect and forgiveness. And maybe the sledgehammers were really bashing the family they just don't belong to today.
I suppose those who committed the crime will eventually be apprehended, tried and possibly sentenced to a juvenile detention home. But wouldn't it be fair, in this case, to sentence those guilty to make direct amends to the YMCA? For restitution, what would be more appropriate than $50,000 worth of scrubbing, digging, planting, painting, cutting and more scrubbing? At the very least the vandals may be able to find some productive uses for sledgehammers, bolt cutters and crowbars.
But even more so they may discover, by daily facing the consequences of their actions, that physical, mental and spiritual health is not an entitlement. Good, sound health is earned bit by bit each day. Wouldn't it be worthwhile if they could come to find that self-respect is more cool and more powerful than a raging sledghammer and that yes, they too belong to the family?
Pam McIntyre
Virginia Beach by CNB