HELPING OUT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE – Several participants from the Shiawassee County Youth Center teamed up with Capital Area Community Services (CACS) to help on Tuesday, Aug. 4 with the start of the August food distribution.
According to CACS director Becky Zemla, “These kids really need some recognition for what they are doing.” Zemla explained that some of the teens, having helped out before, were eager to come back and assist again – a trait she found inspiring.
By 9:15 a.m., a long line of vehicles was strung out along Corunna Avenue, demonstrating once again the need for food in Shiawassee County, particularly as people struggle during the pandemic. The cars would pull into the CACS drive with trunks or tailgates open, and then the teens, all masked, would load the food items into the cars – doing their part in helping to feed county residents.
Also helping out were Shiawassee County Commissioner Dan McMaster and Sheriff Brian BeGole. The kids have been assisting with the Jail Garden this summer, too – a two-acre plot located along (State Road) Shiawassee Street in Corunna. McMaster was instrumental in creating the Jail Garden in 2018, with fresh, harvested produce delivered to 25 different food banks throughout the county last year.
The Shiawassee County Youth Center offers both academic and behavioral structure for kids on probation. Previously called the Shiawassee County Juvenile Detention Center, today the program looks to benefit the kids by helping them become involved in community projects, such as the jail garden or by assisting CACS. Plugging the kids into projects where their help is very much needed and appreciated, also allows them to see firsthand the social impact they can achieve.
CACS is located at 1845 Corunna Ave. in Owosso.
(Independent Photo/Karen Mead-Elford)
