Opinion

Outdoors men -- A summer of healing

Thursday, July 20, 2006

By Larry Dablemont

When I was 21 years old I spent a summer working for the University of Missouri with what they would call today "at risk boys." Back in my hometown of Houston, Mo., they provided me a big bus and 27 boys between the ages of 9 and 14, some without fathers, some with constant discipline problems, some downright juvenile delinquents.

Then again, some were boys from good large, poor families, with both parents working during the day and nothing to keep them busy and out of trouble. There was no money, no meeting place, no guidance, no help, no structure. They told me to just see what I could do to change their attitudes, help them find themselves.

The outdoors was the only thing I knew anything about, so we spent the summer fishing, studying nature, working on small conservation projects, learning to shoot, hunter safety, swimming, and playing softball. I just tried to talk to each of them about being proud of who they were, and finding the gifts God gave each of them. I tried to teach them what my dad and grandfathers had taught me.

I haven't seen any of those boys since, until the last year or so, when I have met three of them, all good young men raising families. And each told me about what they remembered from that summer, and how it had helped them with this problem or that.

I haven't ever been able to forget that summer, and I found out that neither had they. I could write so much about what happened, about some small miracles that took place, but there isn't room here.

Then last year I spent that day as a substitute teacher and met that one little boy who opened my eyes so much. He needed so much help, and I knew that I could help him. I still can't get his face and his words out of my mind. I don't have to tell you that there are countless numbers of boys out there in small towns like yours who need help. You know why ... I don't have to spell it out. There are men out there reading this who are outdoors oriented men, and we can help those boys ... just a small bunch of us working together. It doesn't take lots of money ... it takes very little.

And it won't take much of our time either, just a little.

So let's get together, a handful of us men in each little town where my column on the outdoors appears, and lets do something about those boys.

Let's find a way to use the outdoors we know about and love to teach them character, values, humility and pride, self-respect and reverence, and lets help them find compassion and respect for others.

Oh, I can list all sorts of ways we can help them ... but you know about that. Just get a small group of men like you together, and lets get together and get started. I'll come and meet with you and we'll start it with a few snowflakes and see if we can make an avalanche. We can do it ... OUTDOORS MEN like you and others around you. I'm not an organizer, but I know how to help these boys.

If you ARE an organizer, help us out. If you are just someone who feels like giving some time to some needy boys, help us out. Let's get a group of OUTDOORS MEN in dozens of small Ozark towns to use the outdoors to change some kids lives. Please write to me or call me

Larry Dablemont Box 22, Bolivar, MO 65613; e-mail lightninridge@alltel.net, or call me (417) 777-5227. It won't take and army, just a few of us.