To the editor:
BETA (Brown County Enrichment for Teens Association Inc.) has had a little of a rough summer.
Paul Landry, one of BETA’s board members and a constant presence on Tuesdays, passed away unexpectedly on July 1. He was about to celebrate his 50th birthday.
The news came to me five days after BETA received a notice of eviction. We have to move out due to code violations that neither our landlord, the art guild, nor we as a tenant expected to deal with since our move in January 2017. I was hoping Paul would be a great deal of help with his network power. But the loss has had more meaning than that to me and BETA.
Since his start of volunteering at BETA last fall, he has shown up almost every Tuesday. With his big, wide smile, he used to sit in our kitchen table first and enjoy the food with the kids and adult volunteers. Often, he made a homemade food and brought it to BETA.
He was a youth leader at the Salvation Army Church with his wife, Shelly, who was also on the BETA board. Yet, Paul never said a word of “church” or “Jesus” to our teens, but just sat and watched the teens who were about to cross their eyes doing video games. In the other room where a board game was going, like Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragon Dungeon, he just sat there observing how smart our teens can be. Often, some teens asked him to go outside for a confidential talk. “No problem,” he said. “I will be there.” Around the time when we had to clean the place after the end of the BETA day, I used to toss that “dirty” job of recruiting teens to Paul. With his quick winks and silent nodding of his head, BETA teens moved (or dragged) their feet and hands to pick up the trash or vacuum the floor.
Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I went to Paul to just talk and tranquilize myself. He didn’t say too much, but gave me a look that, “Clara, I know you are trying hard, but take it easy, lady.” Often, that look of understanding was enough, quite strangely.
After his arrival at BETA, we always had more volunteers showing up from the Salvation Army or somewhere else. They popped up whenever we needed the help. He was so happy and eager to help the BETA board. What else can we say? He was loved. He was cherished. After his passing away, that simple fact sharpened its edges and cleared its path into our hearts. And I realize it is never a simple fact, but a significant meaning.
As you may all know, Anna Hoftestter, a Brown County single mom and community leader, donated her $1,000, once-in-a-lifetime tip from work to Kids on Wheels. It was not an easy decision if you have to work three jobs to take care of your family. Yet, she did it. She believed in a vision that will bring so many benefits to our children.
Colleen Smith, an architect designer and full-time working mom, has donated literally thousands of hours to Kids on Wheels, sacrificing her sleep and personal time, to build the skate and teen park for her son, Isaiah, and Brown County teens who have been crying for the place since December 2016. She and Isaiah have had many bumps and obstacles to get over in the process that could have easily shut them down, yet she did it.
Let me go back to Paul. Paul had been in disability condition and occasionally had to ride in a wheelchair. He has had many health issues that could have prevented him from coming to BETA every Tuesday. Yet he did it. He gave his time, his energy, his heart and his life to our teens. And even after he is gone, he is making a change in many lives, including me. I want to call it a “legacy.”
Paul, Anna and Colleen are all ordinary people. They are no different than any of us. Yet, they have done and are making a difference in many lives around them. If they can, why not us?
BETA has been proud of supporting the Kids on Wheels project because the same kids come to BETA and the same kids skateboard. Kids on Wheels has only 52 days, as of today, to raise $50,000 to make $100,000 through a CreatINg Places grant offered through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.
Isn’t it time for us to reconsider our priorities? Why do we live? What is the most important thing? What can we leave on the earth when we are gone?
For the sake of Kids on Wheels, I would have to ask our landlord to give us more time to move so that BETA can focus our support for Kids on Wheels — definitely not during this 60-day period for Kids on Wheels to raise $50,000. Why? Because this is the “important thing” and this is the momentum our Brown County community should hold on tight to make our long-time dreamed project come true for our kids. It does not matter if you donate $5, $10 or $100 or $1,000 or more. It’s your heart and your will, and that’s all that it takes to make a difference. You don’t have to be rich or a big name or any extraordinary person to make this project happen. Small or large, only when we all come together for our children and their future can we make anything possible.
Definitely, the skate and teen park will not solve all problems. Rather, it is the beginning of our new legacy. Like Paul did, we offer our presence, time, energy and life to our children. Paul will never die in the spirit of BETA and will continue to create more legacies in the lives he has touched. Paul, man, you will be dearly missed.
Respectfully submitted by,
Clara Stanley, BETA board president
P.S. Please send donations to BETA, P.O. Box 1194, Nashville, IN 47448, with “Kids on Wheels” in the memo. Also, you can visit Kids on Wheels on Facebook to find the link for the grant. You also can drop your donation at the Brown County Democrat newspaper office. Thanks, Democrat!
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