These kid's mean business..they showed up at my office early for work today and I had already scheduled them to show up 15 minutes early....so they were 30 minutes early today!
First words out of Hung, the Youth Supervisor... "we want to show a good example"
Today and every Monday for the length of the program the kid's will be up at Castle Hill Park. I am letting Hung manage this as much as possible...it is going to be a good opportunity for him to hone his leadership skills. On Tuesday, you will start to see their presence on Chandler Street and some of the streets off of Chandler Street including Pleasant Street.
I am a huge fan of this type of program.....some of these kid's if they do not leave the city for greener pastures are our possible future leaders and this part of the city definitely needs more leadership from within and from folks nuevo to the city. This Program will allow these kid's to get to know their neighborhood on a different level.
5 comments:
I applaud anything that helps any kid find work during the summer. This includes even those under 16 years old just doing odd jobs around the neighborhood.
I look back with fondness on the summer job I had for many years all through high school & college. I learned many things that are not taught in school and met a real cast of characters over those years.
KUdos to Chandler St Business folks.
I'd love to see a law writen that allows empoloyers to pay less than Minimum wage to summer help b/c I always figure it's better to be able to employ two 16 yr old kids at $5 an hour than one kid at $10/hr. Better to get 2 kids off the street at $5/hr than 1 kid at $10/hr. If they really want to work, they'll work for whatever they can get.
These summertime employers s/b exempted from all payroll taxes and workmens comp as well.
Nothing like the feel of hard earned cash in my hands when I was 17 years old.
I do of course realize the summer employment oppportunities nowadays are less then what they were back in my teen days.
Paul,
This is great stuff you are doing. I've been reading your blog for a few months and as always, at times I'm loving it and at other times I'm thinking you're a bit crazy. I'm relating a bit to what you are finding in Worcester as I moved to Lawrence last year and am adapting to moving from the Cambridge/Somerville lifestyle to a struggling little city.
I also love the updates on hiking with Buddy. I spend much of my free time hiking with my 3 year old pup and it enriches my life so much. All the best on all your events. I love that you keep chugging along and never give up.
Bill Peregoy
Long Time Bill P.
Thanks for chiming in....I get back to Somerville/Cambridge as often as possible...on way now for a funeral.
Congrats on buying a place in Lawrence...that town needs more folks buying and getting involved...as you know I am in to organizing so what I am doing in WooTown is nothing new....getting folks to buy into the plan that the neighborhood can be redefined is a lot harder than getting them to run across McGrath Hwy on a Thursday night:>)...but it is happening....call it what one wants..gentrification, redefinement, urban renewal...my neighborhood or for that matter most neighborhoods will not last doing nothing...folks from Rodney Street make video's....others fight back and make the change:>)
Lawrence is an interesting town..you have some work up there to do...keep in touch Bill and I can't agree with you more on the pooch..took me 40 years to find someone who can't bear to be without me and it is Buddy the Beagle:>)He is a joy in mi wee life
Day Two Senor Jahn...drive Chandler today from Park to Mason...heavy presence on Chandler Street this week...cleaning up the tree beds, weeding, trash removal....working on the flower pots..nice group of kid's
Day 2 went real well and the kids again were early and worked in the rain that was off and on..I am starting to like these kids right from the start....
great job on Chandler from Park Ave up to Mason Street.....the rest of the week they are concentrating on Dewey, Winfield & Austin Street.
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