Seriously. Someone asked me this yesterday (I think they were kidding). We've had some media attention around Central lately, thanks to the municipality of Anchorage budget that underfunds an after-school program at Central.
Two years ago, the mayor's office agreed to fund a Campfire USA program for free for kids in our West Fairview neighborhood. In the 2008 proposed muni budget, the program was not fully funded. Neither was a summer kids' program at St. Anthony Catholic Church, a fellow member of our community organizing group AFACT.
So we did what we knew how to do: we had a public meeting with assembly members, presented research on why these programs are important and asked assembly members to commit to supporting them.
And then the media came. The local NBC and CBS affiliates interviewed me here at Central, one on Monday, one on Friday. One interviewed our parishioner Dahna Graham. Both she and I ended up on TV. I was sure glad we were getting some "press" for something positive. Yes! Now we just have to wait and see what the assembly will do.
I was pretty fired up about getting our muni support for the families in Fairview who use the Campfire program. One mother recently told me that her son has no where else to play (they live in a high-density living area). And a 6-year-old boy in an apartment for hours on end is no good!
Another thing that fired me up: when we focus on the families being served, we win. When we focus on the politics, we lose. There's been some tug of war between mayors' office and assembly 'round this buget. I was extremely disappointed when a parishioner from another congregation (thank you!) wrote an assemblyman to urge his support for the afterschool program. The assemblyman's response: it's the mayor's fault, he left it out of the budget, why don't you ask him. The last sentence was in all capital letters...like he was in third grade or becoming Owen Meany.
Anyway, I don't know whose "fault" it was that the after school program wasn't in the budget but the damage is done. I commend all who showed up to support these programs in our AFACT meeting Monday night, and all those on the assembly who will work for after-school programs in the budget.
1 comment:
Now I'm glad I held on to those items with your signature. It seems they may be worth money some day.... I can't help but want to put your story in church terms. I think this is really a story of stewardship. The city, like the church so often does, appears to have become focused on money instead of ministry. So thank you for doing your part in helping the people of Anchorage focused on the "right" things. As I once read, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
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