The Light of the Future

What do you think of when you think of teenagers? Emo? Smoking? Swearing? Hormones? Lord of the Flies?  Take a bunch of ordinary kids, and that is probably what  you get: a little bit of everything. But give them a task to do;  provide them with an opportunity to support their friends; tell them that they can change the world, and they become the light of the future.

From the moment they met  Rosio Zamora, Abril and Almita Mendoza, all from Mexico, became fast friends.  I knew what I wanted them to do: serve the food. Once I mentioned their task, they jumped up with excitement and energy the exact moment it was needed! They did a wonderful job working together taking orders and providing both food and beverages.

Then there was Sabrina: a quiet girl that I had never met before. I quickly learned that she was not only but a hard worker but also able and willing to follow instructions. Sabrina arrived early, and was put to work immediately. She was given the job overseeing the appetizers: cooking and serving the Jalapeño Poppers donated by M&M Meat Shoppe on 23 Avenue.  She was also in charge of bringing out the vegetable platters donated by the Junction Eatery, replacing empty trays with new ones.  She also joined Kathy’s team, taking part in what needed to be done.  Shortly after the event Sabrina sent a text message to Ocean, commenting on the post event high she was experiencing. I am so glad she felt that way.

Then there were the boys. They trickled in: Jeremy and Jared were first to arrive earlier than had been anticipated. They were told they would be fed, but they had to arrive before 4:15 to get food. These two boys earned it for sure! Others trickled in later: Kyle wearing a bright red shirt, Troy actually wearing a white graphic free t-shirt, Kevin and Greason dressed sharply in full suits. Chris and Kent dressed colorfully as suggested.  I actually don’t know when they all arrived, but before I knew it I had a crew of able bodied young men dressed for the event. (Ocean and Janelle had been explicit about what they were expected to wear: dark pants and bright shirts with NO graphics. Two showed up dressed to the nines!) With a smile in their hearts and even in their livers they willingly cleared the table, rinsed the dishes, ran them through the sanitizers, and put them away.

During the presentation they stood in a line at the back of the hall. Swaying simultaneously to the music, and provided the much needed peer support the girl’s needed. When it came time for the Thank You’s I approached the line and gave instructions. Like magic they descended upon the tables, gathering fruit baskets, and lining up on either side of the stage. I don’t know if anyone has a picture of that but the mental image will stay with me for a long time.

 (If you have any pictures, please send them along to Ocean, Janelle, Stephanie or me.)

At the end of the event people started for home, but these young men came alive stacking chairs and removing tables. A smile graced my lips when I saw them working so hard. Then at the end, almost everyone had gone, and there were a few more things to do. I rounded them up into the kitchen and voila! It was done.

One of the things we really wanted to do was to help the family, for whom Ocean and Janelle would be building the house, to understand that the girls would be representing all the people who gave supported them: by buying tickets, making donations, providing home baking, providing food, providing service. We want this family to know and understand that although these two girls were coming from Canada, they represented hundreds of people and more than 50 organizations.  A piece of cloth was spread out over a table, and fabric paint was provided. Stephanie spoke to people as they entered, that the cloth with signatures would be turned into curtains from the family home. She did an amazing job. The cloth looks wonderful, covered with all the signatures.

Yet there are many more that are missing… so we will be taking another piece of cloth to others, that will be sewn together with this one.  When Ocean and Janelle go, they will bring some of the fabric paint so that the people actually building the house can add their signatures. The windows are smaller than the cloth, so it might be turned into a blanket or table cloth.

Then there is Ryley. Ryley does not need her pink hair to stand out in a crowd! Her presence is known wherever she is. Although sometimes inappropriate, Ryley has a heart of gold. Ryley was a pinch hitter, coming into play whenever needed. Not knowing she was coming, I did not put her energy to good use, but if we do this again Ocean and I both agreed on how we would channel her every with a perfect job for her and her personality!

Maybe now when you think of teenagers you will think of what I think: give them something to do;  provide them with an opportunity to support their friends; tell them that they can change the world, and they become the light of the future.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support both Janelle and Ocean. You really did make a difference: you made it possible for this event to happen. Ocean and Janelle will be going toMexico because you made it possible.