Gus Harrison Correctional Facilty Inmates give over $3000 to Homeless Kids and Domestic Violence Surviors

A wise person once said, “If you don’t like the direction your life is going…change it.” It’s impossible to grow as an individual without embracing change. Complacency is an intellectual prison where too many people are happily serving life sentences. Over the last 15 years of my life, I have had to embrace both changes that I initiated and changes that were impressed upon me. Each change presented me with an opportunity. I could resist change and stunt my growth or I could utilize the change to help transition me further along in my journey for freedom. One of the things that I became mindful of over the years, was always looking for an opportunity to give back whenever possible. Recently, as a warden forum representative at the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility, I was given an opportunity to participate in a community initiative that provided $3,000.00 to a local community in need. Giving back to the Lenawee County community has become an annual effort by inmates at the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility.

On August 29, 2016, the Warden’s Forum and Prisoner Benefit Fund at Gus Harrison made two donations to two great causes. The money that was given was raised by inmates like myself.  It actually comes from the fund that collects money through inmate food purchases that are made outside of everyday meal times.

The first donation that we made was $3,000 to the Catherine Cobb Domestic Violence Shelter in Adrian. This shelter operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide a place where survivors of domestic violence can go by themselves or with their children and find physical safety in a home-like setting.

The second donation that we made was to the Lenawee Intermediate School District in the form of $3,000 worth of school supplies. The supplies is specifically designated to help homeless students. Surprisingly enough, there are at least 700 of in the county. One of the challenges that keeps these kids from attending school is having the proper supplies.

Both of the organizations that we gave to assist individuals who are at a pivotal point in their lives. We’ve all been at a crossroad in our life.  A place where change was insistent and scary. Some of us had a friend, relative, or kind stranger to make the transition a bit easier. And others of us earned our degree of survival at the school of hard knocks. My utmost desire is that the earnest effort that myself and the other inmates at the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility have made to be a blessing to someone facing changes in their life will have a positive impact on the intended individuals and a ripple effect on both this local community and the audience reading this post.

To read the entire story visit

http://www.lenconnect.com/news/20160830/gus-harrison-prisoners-donate-3000-to-two-groups

                      (Copyright: Photo taken by Lonnie Huhman of lenconnect.com)

Until next time….later….

Robert