A2B-Lancatter Farming, Saturday, June 22, 1996
Teen Challenge Helps Addicts Turn Their Lives Around
(Continued from Pag* A 1)
describing his experiences. With
out Teen Challenge, he admitted
that “I was bad, like the guys you
read about in the paper. Without
Teen Challenge, I would be dead
of AIDS or violence.”
Clancy is one of many who
think the same about Teen
Challenge.
The Teen Challenge Training
Center began with eight men in a
farmhouse on a dairy farm in
Rehrersburg in July 1962. It was
the result of Rev. David Wilker-
son’s efforts, who left a small town
pastorate in Pennsylvania to pion
eer work among street gangs and
drug addicts in New York City.
Eventually a film, entitled “The
Cross and the Switchblade,” was
made to tell about the beginnings
of this worldwide ministry.
Funded through churches of all
denominations, businesses, civic
groups, and concerned individuals,
the center encompasses about 350
acres, including an educational
wing, dormitory areas, an office
building, and shops housing more
than 20 different vocational trades.
Housed on the premises, along
with a library, classrooms, and
offices includes a print shop, auto
body, and auto mechanic shops.
There are also construction and
industrial shops in addition to six
greenhouses.
The youth, all men ranging in
age from 18-60, are trained on the
premises in a wide variety of
vocations.
Importantly, there is also a hor
ticultural farm which is home to
several acres of strawberries and
vine crops, according to Eric Hole,
farm manager.
Including rented acreage, there
are about 350 tillable acres, in
addition to some pasture and
woodland. On the tillable acres,
the program’s youth take care of
four acres of strawberries, one acre
of peppers, one of tomatoes, in
addition to a half acre of waterme
lons. Other crops include 150 acres
of alfalfa and other grasses, 100
acres of com, 20 acres of barley,
and 30 acres of beans.
In early April this year, a disper
sal auction was held, which sold all
the milking cows. The center has
quit the dairy business except for
some heifers which are raised on a
contract basis.
Those who come to the farm are
selected based on interviews con
ducted at any of several induction
centers. Clancy entered Teen
Challenge through the German
town induction center near Phi
ladelphia. Others come from many
cities, including Harrisburg, Pitts
burgh, or Baltimore.
Hole said, “Of the guys I have
talked to over the years, I would
bet probably 80 percent of the guys
are from a broken home of some
sort or another.
“It’s amazing that it’s sucli a
A Teen Challenge member, Greg, feeds the calves at the
training center.
W 1
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♦ '
In all, there are about 350 tillable acres, In addition to
some pasture and woodland, at the Teen Challenge farm.
On the tillable acres, the program's youth take care of four
acres of strawberries, one acre of peppers, one of toma*
wide cross-section of society from
which guys end up here. There are
guys here from very well-to-do
families, others who went to a
dozen different (secular) rehab
places, those one- or two-month
‘instant cures’ that just don’t work
for several thousand dollars.
“And we have guys that show
up here with the clothes on their
back. That’s all they got to their
name. Some are sleeping out who
knows where, in a little old car,
van, building, whatever. We have
the full gamut and everything in
between.”
Those who sign up have to make
a decision: how serious or how
desperate are they to really make a
change in their life?
Hole said, “If they really want
to change, all the things are heie to
give them to be able to see that
happen.”
Altogether, according to the
farm manager, the farm “has
always been a positive thing to
help generate some revenue to help
keep the training center going
here.” The decision came last
December by the board planning
committee to discontinue the dairy
and increase support for the horti
culture center, which includes six
greenhouses.
The nursery stock has increased
dramatically, with the addition of
several greenhouses in the past few
years. The houses grow a wide var
iety of bedding and vegetable
plants. The plants are sold through
the Kutztown Production Auction,
Leesport, and other retail and
wholesale outlets.
Strawberries were planted for
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v" sOKti.
•«* **
N
Every year, alumni of the training center meet for a three-day celebration of what the
program has meant to them. It’s called Celebrate, and will be held this year from July
12-14 on the grounds of the training center.
the first time two years ago. This
year, four acres of strawberries
formed the backbone of a lot of
early morning work for about 90 at
the center.
This year, varieties of tomatoes
and peppers are being grown to see
how viable they’ll be at the
auctions.
The operation remains nonpro
fit, according to Hole. ‘ ‘We’re try
ing to support ourselves as much as
Ths Teen Challenge Training Center began with eight men In a farmhouse on a dairy
farm In Rehraraburg In July 1962. Hera, the newly built Wllkeraon Hall.
V
toes, in addition to a half acre of watermelons. Other crops
include 150 acres of alfalfa and other grasses, 100 acres of
corn, 20 acres of barley, and 30 acres of beans.
we can to do the job that is out
there to be done.”
Classes in the Bible and Christ
ian beliefs, money management,
family relationships, including a
solid work ethic, round out the
experience for those who attend
Teen Challenge.
“We use biblical principles to
teach the work habits and the life
skills that they’re going to need.
That makes the difference between
■ \ * -v
our type of program and others,
and we give that credit for the suc
cess rate versus other state-funded
rehabilitation programs,” he said.
Hole provided information on a
study that proved that the success
rate for Teen Challenge was 86
percent those who went five
years or more without having to re
enter a drug and alcohol rehab
program.
(Turn to Pago A 29)
$
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