Local kids are worth a shot at grant money

To The Eagle:

On Friday, the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation (EMCF) published a request for proposals (RFP) for grant applications to address at-risk youth. These are large grants run through Fidelity Investments. EMCF is looking to round out its portfolio and is particularly interested in supporting youth, ages nine to 24, living in economically-stressed rural areas who are at risk for dropping out of school, for teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol addiction, mental health issues, un- or under-employment, and violence. This may represent a superb opportunity for our county to improve the lives of our kids if its citizens and local organizations were to avoid "turf wars" and unite behind this issue.

As this grant encourages applicants to apply for "real" money, it might be possible for us to purchase and renovate a dilapidated and abandoned building and turn it into a viable, modern youth center housing, for example, a computer center, library, arts and crafts facility, movie and performance theater, a restaurant run by young folks using locally-grown produce and livestock (cooking classes), music and film-making facility, FFA and 4H projects, etc. This would also create much-needed temporary and permanent jobs for adults; contractors, janitors come to mind immediately. What is needed is the imagination, enthusiasm, input, and collaboration of our citizenry and of already-existing, possibly under-funded, organizations such as St. James Family Center, Johnson Park Association, Search and Rescue, schools, the Health and Human Service branch on Elochoman (therapists/counselors), 4-H, FFA, the Sheriff's and Prosecutor's offices, the summer camp in Grays River, the Wahkiakum Community Network.

A letter of "intent to respond" to the RFA is due November 9; the deadline for the grant application is approximately two months thereafter.

While there is no guarantee that we would be awarded one of these large grants we have nothing to lose - are our kids not worth a try?

People, we can do this! Let's not focus on why we can't but on how we can! By our efforts we would honor the memory of Jon Dearmore who had the well-being of our kids at heart. Anybody with interest, new ideas and/or positive suggestions, please contact me at 360-795-3025 or by e-mail (upetralia@yahoo.com).

Ursula Petralia

Skamokawa