Viewpoints
City Council, we need your
help
by Bobbie McCreary
June 30, 2004
Wednesday
Susan is right on about ADFY. After the Borough's vote I made
a comment to a grocery store helper at the checkout stand and
she (about age 15) was astonished, "no funding for Youth
Court? no funding for ADFY? Wow, what a bummer!"
We SHOULD BE ASKING OUR YOUTH what is valuable, what is needed
in this community to help them grow up to be healthy, safe and
positive contributors to our society. They know what is needed;
most adults in this community have their heads in the sand, are
in total denial about the widespread problems we have with addictions,
all the way down to the early elementary grades. My kids are
grown, and still I can find out what is going on, just by asking.
I encourage you to do the same. Find out what is needed here
and then DO SOMETHING TO SPEAK UP ABOUT WHAT IS NEEDED to stem
this problem.
ADFY is a critical element in the education of our Youth. Ketchikan
Youth Court is a sterling example of success in changing youth
attitudes towards breaking the law; only 13% of those sentenced
in Youth Court reappear in the system. These, and other youth
programs NEED OUR SUPPORT. I honor the funding to the Arts (very
important to our community); Visitors' Bureau brings in money;
Seniors?(I guess so, although my guess is there are other sources
they could tap into.) But to cut out the University funding,
funding for prevention programs for youth, all youth programs
in general, Borough Assembly, what are we trying to say to our
youth, you just aren't important to us? City Council we need
your help.
Bobbie McCreary
E-mail: rmccreary@att.net
Ketchikan, AK - USA
Related Viewpoint:
Open Letter To City Council RE: ADFY by Susan Bachant - Ketchikan, AK
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