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SHAM S. COHEN
Special to the Jewish News

A Southfield man and a West Bloomfield
boy have a relationship that exemplifies a
needed JFS program.

hony Reuven is a typical,
happy 9-year-old boy in
many ways. He likes sports,
computer games and some
of his fourth-grade classes at Hillel
Day School of Metropolitan Detroit;
where he is a very good student.
He also likes to talk about his spe-
cial friend, Gary Plasko.
"Gary is just a really nice guy,"
Shony says emphatically. Shony hap-
pily describes the time Gary took
him to visit a friend who is a disc
jockey at radio station WOMC-FM.
As a Special Friend volunteer at
Jewish Family Service, Plasko is able
to share the "guy things" that Shony
might not do so easily with his moth-
er, Denise Reuven. Plasko helps
Shony practice baseball, even coming
to some-of his Little League games.
"I've been teaching him golf and
he's got a good swing now We've
gone to Detroit Tiger games, ice skat- .
ing and we built a computer," says
Plasko, an insurance certified life
underwriter who lives in Southfield.
"We see each other at least once a
week, more in the summer."
Denise Reuven, a single mother,
heard about the JFS Special Friends
through a group for children of
divorced parents at Hillel. Reuven is
divorced, and Shony sees his father
infrequently. After she contacted JFS,
Plasko was matched with Shony.
"Gary visited once or twice and they
just took off," says Reuven. "Gary has
been a very positive male role model,
which Shony needed. He has provided
a lot of support for Shony. It's nice to
be able to go with an older guy.
"Gary helps him with reports for
school. They call each other," says
Reuven.
Plasko brings solid experience to
his role as a mentor. He is a former
fifth-grade teacher who has coached
hockey, baseball and soccer for
more than 10 years. Now divorced,
he continues to be a devoted stepfa-
ther. Plasko called Southfield-based
JFS because he heard they were
looking for volunteers and thought

it would be a nice opportunity to
help another boy now that his step-
son is away at school.
JFS has helped establish six mentor-
ing relationships and would like to
expand the effort, according to
Michelle Greenstein, JFS social worker
and program coordinator. The children
with special friends are usually between
6 and 16, typically with divorced par-
ents.
"The mentors range in age from
their 20s to 40s, depending on the
need of the child," Greenstein says.
"Most of the children need a male
role model. The girls often need to
boost their self-esteem."
All prospective volunteers go
through an extensive screening process,
including a criminal background check,
a review of their driving record, and
home assessments. Volunteers must be
willing to establish a relationship for
one year, preferably longer, with a corn-
mitment to see the child once a week
or every other week.
"The volunteer needs to be someone
who has the energy to do what the kids
want to do and have the patience to lis-
ten to them and be a confidant.
Sometimes the child is dose in age to
the volunteer's child," says Greenstein.
The family does not need to be a
single-parent situation, Greenstein
adds. The child could have physical dis-
abilities or emotional problems that
require extra support. She stresses that
the mentor is not a parent substitute
but a caring adult who provides addi-
tional guidance and friendship.
A JFS social worker maintains
contact with the volunteers and the
families, and will proCide support if
needed. As the program expands, JFS
will provide training for both volun-
teers and parents, Greenstein says.
Reuven, who describes Shony as a
child "who has been happy since he
was born," hopes that Shony and Gary
continue their friendship. "They've
established quite a nice relationship
together. They're good buddies. Shony
thinks Gary is great," she says.
"For any child who lacks a positive
male role model in his life, this is won-
derful. I'm really grateful for the pro-
gram."

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