THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 29, 1996 TAG: 9609290049
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Paul South
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 70 lines
John Henderson knew he had to do something.
After watching young people die night after night on the television news, the 33-year-old Augusta, Ga., native decided he would act.
He just didn't know how.
``Watching the news and watching what was happening, me and some of the guys decided we were going to start a program near Loring Air Force Base in Maine. Little kids were less likely to get hurt when they had a someone to take an interest. We were just about to get going when the base was closed.''
Henderson, a senior airman, was transferred to the Air Force's Dare County Bombing Range. Six months ago, he volunteered to work with youngsters through the Dare County Friends of Youth.
``Being in the military, I've lived in four or five states in the past five years,'' Henderson said. ``I go to church pretty regularly. And I notice that the pews are full of girls. The girls are there. The boys aren't. That's true in black and white churches. I'm not saying that that's the solution to everything. But in some cases, the kids who aren't in church are out in the streets.''
Since Friends of Youth was formed in 1990, 180 troubled kids, ages 7 to 17, have come through the program. Right now, 26 are paired with adult role models. An additional 20 to 25 kids are on a waiting list, hoping for an adult volunteer to take an interest in them - and invest some love and time in their lives.
``These are not bad kids,'' said Friends of Youth Director Bonnie Bennett. ``They've just made some negative choices in their lives. They just need a positive influence in their life to re-direct those choices.''
Henderson recalled a time when communities took a more active role in children's lives.
``I was a military brat. So there were always adults around, keeping an eye on me, making sure I did the right thing,'' Henderson said. ``Now it seems like parents are saying, `I'll take care of mine. The rest of it's none of my business.' And that's wrong.''
Henderson works with a 13-year-old Manteo youth. He spends 16 hours a month with the youngster. Many of the activities the pair participates in are funded with the help of local businesses.
``The community support has been great,'' Bennett said. ``We get about $14,000 in in-kind help from local businesses. If not for their support, we wouldn't be able to have the programs we have.
``We've gone to Water Country. We've been to the baseball batting cages, played golf, gone to hockey games. We've had some great times.''
But Friends of Youth is more than playing games.
``I just want to help him make good decisions,'' Henderson said of the youngster he helps. ``I want to help him get focused and set goals. Every week, I ask him if he's done something toward attaining those goals. If he hasn't, then we work on those.''
For many of the children and teen-agers involved in the Friends of Youth program, the time spent with an adult translates to better grades and a new outlook on life.
``We've had kids come through the program who have improved in school and who now have real self-esteem and confidence,'' Bennett said. ``Sixteen hours a month is not a tremendous commitment. It's a very doable commitment. And the rewards are tremendous.''
Friends of Youth is looking for adult volunteers. A training session is set for Oct. 29 and 30th. The Friends of Youth is a Governor's One-on-One program.
``We desperately need men and women volunteers to match up with kids we have on the waiting list,'' Bennett said. ``We desperately need men volunteers.''
For John Henderson, the effort is worthwhile.
``I had people all my life who were interested in me,'' he said. ``When you see a young person start to make good decisions in his life, that means they're getting on the right track.'' by CNB