By KEVIN CHIRI

Editor and Publisher

LAPLACE – New Wine Fellowship Pastor Neil Bernard believes that numbers don’t lie.

&#8220Did you know that 80 percent of young boys who come from single parent homes without a father will end up in the judicial system in some way?” he said. &#8220It’s a proven fact that these boys who don’t have a father are at high risk for problems if someone doesn’t try to help them.”

To that end, New Wine began a summer program three years ago that makes a special effort to give strong male guidance for these boys without a father in the home.

Besides the regular Youth Challenge Summer Camp they conduct, New Wine is again sponsoring a summer camp for young boys between the age of 8 to 12, with a free opportunity to take part in a summer of fun. As a key part to that camp, Bernard has a group of men who provide strong leadership and guidance to the boys, all with the hope of steering them in the right direction in their lives.

&#8220Kids are at their most impressionable age from 8 to 12, and that’s why we target that group,” he said. &#8220If a positive mentor gets involved with them at that age, it will steer them in the right direction. If we can impact these boys, many will not end up in the judicial system.”

The camp begins on June 4 and goes until July 27, offered five days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bernard is hoping more businesses will step forward and help sponsor some aspects of the program, which costs the church approximately $17,000 each summer.

&#8220We get some good business help, but we definitely can use more so we can do more things with these kids,” he explained. &#8220We take them canoeing, camping, on field trips, and make sure they have good male counselors all summer to be with them.”

Bernard said he came up with the idea from a national program called the &#8220U.S. Dream Academy,” which focused on these young boys at this particular age.

&#8220So many of these young boys will end up in trouble during the summer if we don’t give them something positive to do,” he said. &#8220In a single parent home, who is there to watch the kids? The Bible says that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, and it’s really true that these kids will get into trouble if we don’t give them good supervision and something positive to do.”

Bernard also points to the fact that 80 percent of prisoners in jail are high school dropouts, and that’s yet another reason he wants to stop the cycle before it begins for these young boys.

&#8220We can stand by and complain about the problem, or we can try to do something about it,” he said. &#8220We think this is one way we can try and impact some of these boys in a good way.”

To help sponsor the camp, or to sign up a young boy, call 653-0008.