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Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: WILMA BLOKHUIS By Wilma Blokhuis OAKVILLE LIVING EDITOR www.oakvillebeaver.com Joyful reunion STORY PAGE 18 Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 250) Fax 905-337-5567 email blokhuis@haltonsearch.com · WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2006 13 Troubled youth find safe haven KSM relationships change lives Street kids, poor kids, kids in trouble with the law, kids addicted to drugs, kids with behaviourial problems, social outcasts, misfits and kids from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds have found refuge and safe haven at Kerr Street Ministries. "I was doing $300 worth of drugs a day," said Brian, 18, a street kid since he was 12. "I could have been my own dealer. I could have had people driving and selling for me." Brian was among a half dozen kids featured in Changing Young Lives: The Power of Caring Relationships, a video about Kerr Street Ministry (KSM) funded by the National Crime Prevention Strategy. KSM received close to $50,000 in federal funding last fall to create awareness of how its programs, mainly youth drop-ins, after school programs and summer camps can deter youth from a life out to me and made me feel welcome," said the volunteer camp counselor who aspires to be a youth director. "KSM has made me realize there's more to life than drugs." Because he came back to KSM, he said in the video, "I'm having the best time of my life. It's kept me out of trouble. I now have responsibilities. I want to give back what has been given to me. I could have been a 16-year-old kid making lots of money from drugs. "The kids look up to me. After Grade 12 I'm going to university to become a youth director." It appears Ron Shantz, KSM's executive director, is a mentor. He also grew up poor, had a positive experiences at camp, and today is giving back to the community. "It's all about relationships," he said at the recent screening of the Changing Young Lives video at Burloak Christian Fellowship on Bronte Road north of Hwy. 407. "When I was 12 years old I went to summer camp for the first time," said Shantz. "Because I was a big kid I was put with the older kids and I didn't get along. One of the counselors recognized me as a kid who was kind of on the fringe and I had a chance of going either way. I had no money for candy so he brought me a package of licorice. Somebody showed me NEW ATTITUDE: Saffia no longer has a bad attitude and aspires to become a social worker. of crime through learning the benefits of positive relationships. "I didn't care," said Brian ­ until he came to KSM. "I did what the average street kid would do." No doubt, the first thing he saw when he came to KSM at age 15 was a table filled with bread -­ free for the taking, no questions asked. The next thing would have been an invitation to come in. "Two people (at KSM) reached LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER FIGHTING SHYNESS: Frank, a 10-year-old camper, tells camp counselor Kristy MacDougall he feels relieved that he doesn't have to fight to fit in at Kerr Street Ministries summer day camp. kindness." It was a gesture Shantz never forgot ­ and influenced his life ­ and "30 years later when I started KSM one of the first things I did was start a camp. I saw kids who would like to go to camp." Having `been there' himself, Shantz understands where these kids are coming from. "I had no self-esteem," said Danielle, a volunteer camp counselor who is studying social work. "I went to parties doing drugs and drinking and not caring. I defied every rule that was imposed on me." KSM encouraged her to enter rehabilitation programs. "I came to KSM three times a week. I'm not sure why I liked it so much. There was something about it...the kids...the atmosphere of being around positive and caring people. It feels like a comfortable, safe place." The camp, which operates at Oakwood School, has served 1,2001,300 kids over the past 12 years at no cost to the participants. Last year, KSM had 150 campers, 35 volunteers and 27 staff. "KSM is patient with me," said Jamie. "At school I get yelled at a lot. It's `Jamie, get out of here, we don't want you here.' I get none of that at Kerr Street Ministries." The youth featured in the video talk about how KSM has changed their lives. They talk about everything from hygiene to changing attitudes. "When I first came to camp, I was the worst camper," said Saffia, 15. "I had no respect...I was so rude. Now I just want to lead and put others on the right path." She credits KSM's camp counselors for giving her a new positive outlook on life. "KSM is an amazing place and it's getting better." She aspires to become a social worker. LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER NEW OUTLOOKS: John speaks with camp counselor Kristy MacDougall about how Kerr Street Ministries (KSM) has turned his life around. Right, Brian, a street kid who got into drugs, talks to camp counselor Taryn Vanderburg about how the KSM camp experience encouraged him to become a youth director. See KSM page 16