Their chance to give back

DJJ community service program cleans Lee parks

Randy Burns / The Item DJJ juveniles, student volunteers and adult volunteers clean up the parks in Lee County as part of a DJJ sponsored community service initiative.

By RANDY BURNS
Item Staff Writer
rburns@theitem.com

More than 100 youth and adult volunteers in Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties came together on Sept. 12 to participate in a statewide community service initiative sponsored by the state Department of Juvenile Justice.

"Restoring Carolina Through Youth Service" was an opportunity for DJJ to reach out to communities in a positive way, said Mark Cox, the department's director in Sumter and Lee counties.

Cox said volunteers focused on yard and grounds projects at Lee County parks, along with the Crosswell Children's Home and the Greenhouse Runaway Shelter in Sumter.

"On the same day, DJJ undertook a statewide effort to conduct community service projects in all of the state's counties," Cox said. "It was an opportunity to allow juveniles involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice an opportunity to give back to their communities through community service projects. Many times when you hear DJJ, negative connotations are the first thought. These projects were an opportunity to showcase the fact that DJJ is involved in many positive endeavors."

In Lee and Clarendon counties, AmeriCorps student volunteers and staff partnered with DJJ to carry out the community service projects.

Lee County Parks and Recreation Director Alan Watkins said about 50 young people and adults did an outstanding job cleaning the grounds at the Clifton Jefferson Memorial Park in Lynchburg and Elliott Park.

"These students and volunteers showed up ready to work," Watkins said. "And they did a great job of raking leaves and clearing weeds and cutting grass in our playground areas. I was very impressed with the young people and the adult supervisors. This was not a photo op; they worked very hard all morning and they really put a great cleaning on both park areas. The recreation department greatly appreciates the effort put forth, and I am sure the adults and children who visit the parks will greatly appreciate the result as well."

In Clarendon County, 18 juveniles on probation and 10 AmeriCorps student volunteers collected food for the United Ministries of Clarendon County, said Clarendon County DJJ Director Melissa DeVane.

Randy Burns / The Item DJJ juveniles, student volunteers and adult volunteers clean up Eliott Park recently as part of a DJJ-sponsored community service initiative.

Youngsters decorated food collection boxes that were distributed to grocery stores in Manning, DeVane said. A pickup truck, on loan from Prothro Chevrolet, was packed with food collected by volunteers. The youngsters also collected $130 in donations.

"It was so much fun," DeVane said. "Everybody had a good time. People were very generous. It's important for our young people to learn it's important to give back to your community."

The DJJ initiative coincided with the Sept. 11 National Day of Service, said DJJ Director Bill Byars.

"We are indeed excited about this initiative because it places our young people in position to give back to their communities in a positive way,'' Byars said.

The initiative focused on service to the community by young people who have made poor choices in their lives, he said.

"This is their chance to give back and help build stronger communities, he said. "Their participation is voluntary and is reflective of the agency's restorative justice practices, which require accountability among youthful offenders and encourage giving back to the community through service opportunities."



Contact Staff Writer Randy Burns at rburns@theitem.com or (803) 491-4533.