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REGULAR MEETING March 26, 2018
<br /> 15th, 1783 by George Washington. Today, we are two hundred and thirty-five (235) years later,
<br /> but we experience that same opportunity. We have the opportunity to feel the affliction of the
<br /> young men in Rite of Passage. We need to acknowledge the real distress and concerns of these
<br /> members of the community. All the while, we need to give the opportunity, in our community,to
<br /> succeed whenever we have the power to do so. Each week, the young men of ROP have the
<br /> opportunity to choose to go to a local church. Every two (2) weeks, they attend the same church
<br /> that I do. A large percent of our church are between the ages of sixty-five (65) and eight-five (85)
<br /> years old. We are known for that but are also known for being a family. The ROP guys have come
<br /> in and made their impact there. Without fail, on the off weeks they are not there, someone in our
<br /> church asks where they are. We love having them. When I was eight (8) years old, my family
<br /> broke apart. Thankfully,my grandparents took myself,my mother and brother into their home and
<br /> we were able to live there until we got on our feet again. Without their home and support, my life
<br /> today would not be near what it is now. I ask that today,you make the decision to give these young
<br /> men a chance to say the same thing.
<br /> Rachelle Simon, 122 Lewis Hall,Notre Dame, IN, stated, I am a rector at the University of Notre
<br /> Dame which means it is my permanent home. I live with the women there and I also work part-
<br /> time for the Center for Social Concern at the University and we have a program called Mercy
<br /> Works where students go out in groups and work with community partners. DePaul Academy has
<br /> been one (1) of those partners. We have students go out on Saturday and do an art class for the
<br /> students there at DePaul and I have been really impressed.
<br /> Molly Link, 133 Lewis Hall, Notre Dame, IN, stated, I go to DePaul Academy once a week and
<br /> we do arts and crafts with the boys. We've made Pinatas,we've done poetry and just last weekend
<br /> we decorated Easter Eggs. I don't know many high school boys that enjoy arts and crafts but every
<br /> week, the boys at DePaul Academy are ready to do whatever we have for them. They are some of
<br /> the most respectful and polite boys I have ever interacted with. They are a great group of guys and
<br /> I think it would be a shame if a project like this wouldn't be accepted.
<br /> Katie Hammond, 1260 Longfellow Avenue, South Bend, IN, stated, I am here to speak tonight
<br /> because I think the rehabilitative function of the criminal justice system is far too often an after-
<br /> thought. Particularly, if that is going to be part of the system, which I deeply think it should, it
<br /> should be ever more so with respect to juveniles. I think our community would be failing itself as
<br /> well as the kids if it weren't to have a place like this to take them in when they have exhibited the
<br /> desire and ability to improve their lives. I had the opportunity to tour DePaul Academy and every
<br /> student we encountered was respectful, polite and earnest. I think they have a great program and
<br /> it is something that South Bend and River Park would benefit from.
<br /> Margaret Morgan, 1710 Churchill Drive, South Bend, I'm not a business owner and I haven't
<br /> worked particularly with DePaul Academy before but I am a neighbor to where they would be
<br /> living. I have to say that I would be proud to be their neighbor and I would be proud of South Bend
<br /> if we allowed this. I think a community is measured by the way it takes care of its children. I
<br /> believe in the work that we do to help support one another and it makes sense to me this would
<br /> happen in the context of community.
<br /> Leslie Pinson, 830 N. St. Louis Boulevard, South Bend, IN, stated, On Sundays, I lead greeter
<br /> efforts at South Bend City Church and that is the church they go to when they are not going to the
<br /> other gentlemen's church, they are going to our church. I've had the pleasure of getting to know
<br /> the guys and leadership team. We are a start-up church so everybody is new there. But, I want to
<br /> tell you a quick little story. So our greeters are our first line of defense in terms of first impression
<br /> and making sure everyone is welcome and feels they are a part of the community. A few weeks
<br /> ago, in between services, we were cleaning up chairs and straightening them up for the next
<br /> service. The boys had come and attended the first service, they saw we needed help and they
<br /> actively came over to ask if they could help and they were so helpful from then on out that they
<br /> are now joining our greeter team and coming to the training. As a church community, they are
<br /> loved members of our community and we could not be more excited to have them on our team. I
<br /> just wanted to point that out. This was not a service opportunity that was set up by myself or their
<br /> program director, this was a need that the boys saw and something they wanted to do. They took
<br /> it upon themselves. I think that speaks to the character that this program is developing in these
<br /> young men. I got to visit DePaul Academy and I was blown away by everything that is going on
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