So...we sent a deserving young student to the inauguration. [View all]

It's a long story, but Miz t. and I recently began doing some volunteer work at our local youth club center.
They provide free after school, Saturday, and summer programs and activities for kids age 5 to 14.

There are classes in music, dance, math, art, English, and various field trips.
The center is open to all comers, but the kids are mostly from poorer black families.

The director is an amazing woman who I am very proud to call a friend.
She just took over about a year ago and her dream was to send a busload of her kids to Obama's second inauguration. She lived in D.C. for a time, doing this same kind of work with children, and had many contacts there.
The kids would stay with and be fed by some of her friends from her church and civic organizations.
About the only 'out-of-pocket' cost would be transportation...a chartered bus.
$345 per passenger, round trip.

When she told us about her plan I looked at Miz t. and saw her eyes start to glisten.
And then my vision also got kind of blurry.
We're retired and don't have a lot of money, but...how could we not?
We also contacted like minded friends (Democrats here in bright red Alabama) and were able to get 3 more donations, one from our local Democratic club.

We, with a lot of help, also drummed up donations of a slew of (healthy) snacks and water to take along for the trip.

On Saturday, her dream became a reality.
15 kids age 9-14 got on the brand new (2000 miles) blue Freightliner bus along with 5 chaperones/minders and left Foley, Alabama for the trip to D.C. All 15 are on the honor rolls of their schools. To say that they were ecstatic would be an understatement.
This is an experience that they will never forget.
One they'll tell their kids and grandkids about.

And Miz t. and I both feel very fortunate to have had a small part in it.
GOBAMA!


From WPMI channel 15 in mobile:
Video: http://www.local15tv.com/news/local/story/Some-Foley-Students-Heading-to-Presidential/nXexo1M3IUuhe-PCrxlFuQ.cspx

FOLEY, Ala. (WPMI) Fourteen youngsters from the Snook Youth Club in Foley will be in Washington for the inauguration Monday.

The field trip is sponsored by a parent committee with donations from local community groups and churches. The students were chosen based on merit and are all honor roll students at their respective schools.

"This is an opportunity for our students to be involved in a civic engagement. To actually see the democratic process in reality and up close," said Deborah Ferguson, Director of Snook Youth Club.