-,
'People Together'
By icbad er
BENTO TWP. - . David
Douglas ys he wants "People
Together" to be more than just
a prett name. F ormerly known
as the Global Family, People
Together' a Dougla puts it,
out to "change the way you
look at people."
Dougl ,who resides in Ben­
ton To nship, got the idea
hil watching a ne s program
over one year ago. "I twas
about the Friendly Supper Club
in tlan ta " , Dougla recalled,
'you couldn't g t in un Ie
you came with a person of
another r cial background than
yourself. "
The idea of the club was
to get people of variou back­
ground together, to meet in a
friendly atmosphere. "I watch­
ed, and I thought to myself
ihis is just what this area needs ,
and forgot all about it." He had
discu ed the idea with friends,
and a year later, tho e friends
from St. Joseph contacted him
and aid they were interested
in tarting uch a club.
''What's great abou t the
idea", Douglas aid, 'i that
it's ba ed on the assumption
that there are large numbers
of Black and whites interested
in race unity." Organizaitons
like the AACP work towards
that end on a legal level, he
said, "but there's no group
that attempts that on a social
level."
Incidents of racial hostility,
like the recent one in a hite
area of Chicago, could be
avoided if there was more
ocial interaction. "Association
can and will lead to the elimina­
tion of prejudices. Seperation
only leads to fear and hostil-
ity." I
Douglas said the last gather­
ing of People Together was
quite uccessful. ''We had
repre nted there: Blacks,
whites, native Americans, and
people from racial and cul­
tural heritages of every con­
tinent on I the globe except
Australia." I
People 'Together it non-
partisan d non-denomina-
tional. But Douglas and the
othe founding members, Wynn
Graham, Laura Truby, Pat Doug­
las, Audry orris and Mike
Graham all had strong personal
reasons for wanting to see better
race relations in the area.
Dave Douglas explained some
of his. "I come from a biracial
family, and so racism always
emed silly to me, nonsensical.
The world would be much better
if people didn't characterize
each other as Black and white.
We should see each other as
people fir t."
Dave's personal religious be­
liefs also played a major role.
"I'm a member of the Baha'i
PAGE SEVEN
is to change peoples hearts.
"If it's trong enough, it can
prevent things like what happen­
ed in Chicago from occuring,
beforehand. You realize the
differences you see are super­
ficial. "
Douglas said he hoped that
such groups might be estab­
lished in place were there are
many divisions. The Middle
East, India, Ireland, and South
Africa are all places that could
benefit from People Together's
.0
crea ion·, in I the Twin I Cif es :
Continued from pel
money's worth "even if you do a
good job. But if you hear it
minimally, you are doing a good
job."
THE BENTO
HARBOR
REC program operated with a
151,300 budget last year
according to Richardo Johnson,
city finance direct r. Of that,
S14,000 came from the county;
69,800 from th BH Area
Schools; 57,300 from the city's
community development block
grant; and 10,000 in partici­
pation fee.
A poke man for the BH
chools athletic department ex­
plained the 69,000 goes to­
ward the school use of the
Charle Gray Rec Center and
taff. The hool use the center
for approximately six hour a
day for physical ed cia ses
and one hour a day for weight
training for wrestlers and foot­
ball player .
ccording to reports released
earlier in the year by the rec
department, there are 7 full­
tim affers. A 1983 report
states that 25 youth workers
were hired. In a reply to a
recent SCLC recreation study,
dated Oct. 8, 1984, Carl Brown,
Director of Parks and Recreation
tated that the Rec Dept.
employed "over 200" people
this summer.
The same above mentioned
report states that some of the
activities offered were swim
classes, basketball, rocket foot­
ball, dances, open gym nights,
I kickball, volleyball and arts
and crafts.
Participation fees for swim
classes were 10 per person.
Pool membership for a year
cost 15 for ages J 2 and under;
25 for 13 year-olds and over.
Swim classes were 5 per person
with a pool membership.
Swim night charges were
75 cents for ages 12 and under;
1 for age 1 � and over. The'
department charged 7 per per­
son for basketball, 50 per
team for flag football, and
50 per team for co-ed volley-
ball. Basketball league teams
paid 150 per team, 30 and
over, S100 per team.
ATTORNEY AND COUNSElOR AT LAW
K. M·orri Gavin
GENERAL PRACTICE Of LAW
616/926 7143
•
505 E. Empir. Str •• t
B nton Hubor, M I 49022
NOVEMBER 14 - 20,1984 THE CITIZE
ai ms for just that
Faith. Baha'u llah, our Pro-,
phet-founder ha told us this
is the age of unity. The greatest
challenge facing the world is
achieving world unity. ot
just political but religious and
racial unity as well."
''Y ou can't have world peace
without all kinds of unity,"
Douglas stated. "Y ou can't
get along with the Russians if
you can't get along with other
Americans. "
The aim of People Together
-» ••••
The BH Recreation Depart­
ment claimes to have served
54,939 persons from May 1983-
May 1984, with a monthly
average of 4,578, one of these
figures could be confirmed with
either Carl Brown or Glen Yar­
brough, director of the Gray
Rec Center, both of whom
refu ed to comment in any way
to The Citizen.
It is reported that the 54,939
participation figure includes stu­
dent in high school swim
classes as well as those in YMCA
sponsored activities at the
Charles Gray Center.
The April 15, 1975 agree­
ment signed between the BH
schools and the city requires
-a five-member rec board to
employ a director, and fix his
and his assistants' salaries, and
draw up by-laws to manage
its own affairs. The rec board
members shall erve four year
terms. Two members shall be
appointed y the city, two by
the sc 001 ard, and one at­
large member appointed by the
other four.
The current administration
has the Rec Depart employees
reporting directly to Ellis Mit­
chell, City Manager.
In his Oct. 8 reply to the
SCLC study, Brown said ''the
staff of Parks/Recreation Divis­
ion of the City of Benton Har­
bor in already accountable to
the appropriate authority. '
Mike Shembarger, in his inter­
view with The Citizen, explained
the importance of input from
the public. "If you don't
make an effort," he said, ''to
hear what they thank - you
have to get feedback, to find
out how they feel about the
programs. "
The number of individuals
served with the 1980 U.S.
Census figures for each area:
-Sl1 ,300 Budget - 83-84,
gentle approach to animosity,
he believes.
He said, "Hostilities are not
solved by more hostility but
by people making efforts to
unite. "
People Together will be host­
ing a potluck dinner ovember
.18, at 5:00 p.m. at the First
Presbyterian Church, 475 Green,
Benton Harbor. Following the
dinner will be folkdancing of
various cultures. For more in­
formation, call 925-3840.
Drawln, by
Flistnap
St. Joseph, 393 participants,
9,622 population.
-S47 900 Budget 83-84, Ber­
rien Springs, (includes Berrien
and Oronoko Twp.) 1,300 parti­
cipants, 17,105 total population
(all 3).
-SI51,3oo, Budget 83-84,
Benton Harbor, 54,930 parti­
cipants, 14,707 population.
I
HOLIDAY ARTS & CRAFTS
SHOW'AT COOK CENTE
BRIDGMAN Cook
Energy Information Center
will take on a fe tive appear­
ance ovember 17 and 18
for the Holiday Arts &
Crafts Show. Some 26 area
exhibitor will be making and
showing their work at the
show.
On display will be an array
o arts and crafts ranging
from weaving, pinecone de­
corations; dried flower
arrangements, dolls, wooden
toys, and needlepoint. Also
shown will be hand-painted
stained glass braided rugs,
tole painting, china painting,
and candy made while you
wait.
The free show is open to
the public on Saturday the
17th from 10: 00 a.m. to °
5:00 p.m. and Sunday the
18th from 11 :00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m.
The Coo Center which
. overlooks Lake i higan and
the Donald C. Cook uclear
Plant is located off Inter­
state 94 near Bridgman
Michigan.
SAT.I�
TUES.· FRI. 1-6
L DY T'S EMPIRE
BARBER&BEAUTY SALON
.
271 I • EMPIRE 926-6311
TH IS WEEKS SPECIALS
Elr Pi cing - $5 Thurs, Fri,! .. �It.
Hy Tim. - Razor bump medecat n