Go Kruzin’ to support S.P.A.N.
Since 2003 the Franklin County S.P.A.N. program has been raising money to fund some of its major expenses with an annual bike ride. Now, it’s time again for kruzin’.
The S.P.A.N. program is housed at First United Methodist Church in downtown Russellville, and it’s from this location that S.PA.N. will once again host the Kruzin’ for Kids Motorcycle Ride to benefit local at-risk youth, Aug. 19 at 9 a.m. Remona Roberson, who has served as program coordinator since 2002, said the event is always fun.
“I was charged by the state director to develop a fundraiser for the program,” Roberson said. “At that time one of our employees was a biker, and he really encouraged us to begin having the bike ride because he knew how well bikers support different causes for youth.”
Registration for the 70-mile ride begins at 9 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Madison Street. Registration, which includes a meal, is $25 for a single rider and $30 for double. Included the morning’s festivities will be door prizes and a 50/50 drawing.
Although in past years the ride has been held in different locations and at different times of year, it has since 2012 taken place in conjunction with the Franklin County Watermelon Festival, and this will be the second year it has taken off from FUMC.
“We wanted to be more part of what was going on in the community, and we also thought it would drive the bikers to come and participate because then afterward they could stay and attend the festival,” Roberson said.
All proceeds benefit the S.P.A.N. program., which provides comprehensive academic, social, behavioral and basic employability skills training to the most high-risk youth in the local community ages 12-18. Students can get assistance with going through remedial academics or obtaining their GEDs.
Advisory board member Sharon Hester, who along with husband Randy grills the burgers for the bike ride lunch, remembers when the S.P.A.N. program was first begun. She was the juvenile judge at the time.
“It was originally known as the city program. A lot of people still call it the city program,” she said. Hester was part of collaboration among the court system, the education system including superintendent Dr. Robert Clemmons and the law enforcement system, with statewide program founder Ed Earnest, to establish what today is known as the S.P.A.N. program.
“It has been a roller coaster ride ever since. Some of the people who are working there have been there since the day the doors opened,” Hester said. “I don’t think the general public recognizes what a gem of a program they have because of the dedication of Remona and Jamie and Pam and all the people there. They dedicate their lives to help these kids get a step up, an opportunity.”
Hester said S.P.A.N. helps give at-risk youth a positive direction in life.
“Many of these children have never had an opportunity to be rewarded,” said Hester, who has served on the advisory board since 2010. “They are at risk of not being productive citizens; at risk of being in the prison system; at risk of being on the welfare rolls … They have never been shown that a good career comes from hard work during school – that a diploma is a reward for work in your education.”
S.P.AN. uses that idea of rewards and incentives to help direct students toward those positive choices. Money raised from the bike ride helps fund enticements and prizes, as well as necessities for the students.
For example, “we have a behavior modification program that encourages the students to begin displaying positive behaviors, and they earn points. With those points, they then are allowed to go on field trips,” Roberson said. Funds raised help support those trips. S.P.A.N. also uses funds to provide items needed for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. “We’ll help at Christmastime by buying gifts; a lot of times we’ll have students come in and tell us they don’t have any food, so we’ll go buy groceries for a week; or students will let us know their utilities were turned off, so we’ll have parents come in and fill out an application, and we’ll help the family with utilities,” Roberson said. “We always give the students a really nice Christmas gift – some kind of jacket, and then a stocking that has different things like socks, personal hygiene items and a Walmart gift card.”
Although S.P.A.N. employees are paid through the state, “having a paid teacher is not the only priority,” Hester emphasized. “We have to work directly with the children.”
Funds are also used for basic classroom supplies like paper and pencils or to pay for GED registration costs and study booklets.
Corporate sponsorships also help to fund the ride, and Roberson said S.P.A.N. usually hopes to net $5K to support the program’s needs.
For more information about the 2017 Kruzin’ for Kids or the S.P.A.N. Program, call 256-332-0188.
