GREENSBURG - What do you get when two local youth organizations partner up whose missions are "Bringing out the best in kids" and "Building strong kids"? Six Greensburg students got the chance to attend a three-day camp packed full of fun, friendship, and lifelong lessons.
The Decatur County Family YMCA and the Greensburg Optimist Club partnered earlier this summer to serve a few of the community’s youth by sending them to the Indiana State Police Department’s "Respect for Law" camp at Hanover College. Optimist member and retired school teacher Bill Wenning spearheaded the effort by securing funds from the Optimist group and personal donations by its members to send up to six local sixth graders to the camp free of charge. To help identify targeted youth, Wenning turned to fellow Optimist member and YMCA Director, Devon Brown.
"Sometimes it’s all about having the right connection to help an idea get wings. Devon was able to give this idea ‘wings’ from his work with the local youth," stated Wenning.
Brown was able to hand pick youth identified as leaders and youth that flourish from having such an opportunity from his after school drug prevention program (Afternoons ROCK) that was held earlier in the year at Greensburg Elementary.
The camp was a three-day commitment that also served as many of the chosen youth’s first time away from home in an overnight camp setting.
"These kids will remember this opportunity for a lifetime. I still have fond memories of the leadership camps that I attended as a youth," commented Brown.
The students spent their time learning police formations, getting to work with a real bomb squad, entertaining a K-9 unit, and forming bonds with students across the state. The students earned their very own commencement ceremony to mark their new responsibility as a youth leader.
"My favorite part was getting to drive the golf carts with the Drunk Buster Goggles (a tool used to simulate impaired driving). It was hard and I had to do a lot of pushups for knocking cones over," remarked Christian Dance, one of the campers.
The campers capped off their experience by attending the Optimist’s morning meeting Thursday with a slideshow of pictures, a question-and-answer section for the members, and with personal "thank yous" for the club.
For more information on how to become a member of the Optimist Club or the ROCK program provided by the YMCA, please call Devon Brown at 812-663-YMCA (9622).
