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(Alliance News Service) —
Rawhide Boys Learn True Meaning of
Community Service
Wisconsin resident serving in Iraq thanks boys
for helping his family

In the small towns of north central Wisconsin there are undoubtedly a host of community service and neighborly acts taking place every day. But one activity last year that helped a family in need reached a great deal farther than any Midwestern town. It reached thousands of miles away to Iraq, while at the same time providing much-needed inspiration and affirmation to a group of boys.

Boys who are residents at Alliance for Children and Families member Rawhide Boys Ranch, New London, Wis., are eligible to take part in the About Face Community Service Corps. This 120-day, intensive community service program provides new direction and builds character in the young men through regular community service work, counseling, and physical, academic, and moral values training.

Earlier this year, About Face was introduced to the Support Group for Deployed Military Men and Women, and a connection was made. The boys were able to put their training and skills to work by assisting families of deployed service members, including the family of CW3 David A. Dreger, who is currently in Iraq.

Youth from About Face hauled and delivered wood for heating fuel, finished a roofing project, and cleaned the yard and gutters for David Dreger’s family, including his wife Chris and five children, while also delivering wood to several other military families.

Ed O’Brien, About Face project coordinator explains, “Our military theme in the program gives us a natural connection to service families. We felt that assisting a military family whose head of household was deployed would be a great way to teach the young men how to be good Americans. They have the opportunity to see firsthand the actual sacrifices these families make to serve our country.”

O’Brien continues, “But the biggest benefit is the heart change Rawhide cadets experience from the goodwill they feel when they see the burden lifted from these families. It literally turns their lives around.”

Indeed, the work for military families had a strong effect on the young men. John, a 17-year-old cadet, says, “A lot of people who get into trouble don’t have the opportunity to see what happens when they do good works. I never really had the opportunity to directly impact a family that I met personally.

“Rawhide gives you the opportunity to directly impact people through these service projects versus something indirect, like picking up garbage on a highway,” John continues. “Here you get to immediately see who you are affecting, and that makes all the difference. I feel better about myself because I am doing good for the community. Seeing how happy people are when you do good things for them is going to push me all the harder to serve others when I leave Rawhide.” 

David Dreger was very appreciative of the help and of Rawhide. “My wife Chris told me what a great job your boys did. You can’t imagine how reassuring it is to me and other soldiers to have great Americans like yourselves helping my family,” said Dreger.

John, who was the January 2007 Student of the Month at Rawhide, found inspiration, “Being that he’s (Dreger) out there fighting for our freedom made me work all the harder; it made me want to do my best job.”

Located outside of New London, Wis., Rawhide Boys Ranch emphasizes a faith-based traditional family environment and serves at-risk and court-referred young men. The mission is to inspire and equip at-risk teenage boys to become responsible young men through family-centered care, treatment, and education. Rawhide is largely supported by donations of cars, boats, campers, and financial gifts.
 

11700 West Lake Park Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53224-3099
Phone: (800) 221-3726
Fax: (414) 359-1074

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