Service for Peace helps Selma
Published 12:00 am Monday, August 9, 2004
Arthur Capers, principal of Payne Elementary, is a happy man.
In the midst of hallways full of furniture removed from rooms for preschool cleanup, there were 15-16 students ages 14-21 who spent this past week cleaning and painting three classrooms that had not been refurbished for 10 years.
The project, part of the nationwide
2004 Summer of Service program sponsored by
Washington-based Service for Peace, was organized
locally by C.H.A.S.M. Family Resource Center in partnership with the American Clergy Leadership Conference. C.H.A.S.M. stands for Caring-Helping-Aiding-Supporting-Mentoring.
Carl Rawls, founder and executive director of C.H.A.S.M., is the Selma-Dallas County coordinator for Service for Peace which now has a chapter based at the C.H.A.S.M. center on West Dallas Avenue.
Rawls was present with the young people during the work week which began Monday, Aug. 2, and concluded on Friday.
The work day ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“The purpose of the program is to promote volunteerism, relationships across racial, religious and denominational lines,
and to show participants that they can work together to build the kingdom of God,” Rawls said.
“I attended first grade at Payne Elementary and I’m so happy to be able to give something back to the school through this program,” he said.
“I’m just elated at what they have done,” said Capers.
Rawls had invited a number of persons to a gathering earlier in the summer and Capers was one of two principals who responded.
“I immediately knew this was too good to pass up,” Capers said.
“We offered to do the bathrooms, but Mr. Capers immediately said that he wanted the classrooms done,” Rawls said.
“The school is providing all of the paint and supplies and we’re supplying the labor,” added Rawls.
Rawls said that monthly meetings of the Selma-Dallas County chapter of Service for Peace will begin in September, the dates and times to be announced.
Rawls also said that fall, winter and spring Service for Peace projects are already under discussion such as cleaning up graveyards and returning to Payne Elementary during the Christmas holidays.
Rawls said the youth will make the final decisions on projects.
Local businesses and organizations
assisting in the Payne project include Wendy’s, Gayle’s BP, Domino’s, the Exchange Club, Calhoun Foods, Selma Cash & Carry and On Time Fashions.
For information, call Rawls at (334) 875-3285.