Published: Sunday, May 22, 2011
More than a few heroes bolster hope for Casino Road
Here's a sad fact: A shooting last week outside Horizon Elementary School adds ammunition to the notion that Everett's W. Casino Road is trouble -- big trouble.
A 17-year-old boy was hospitalized and a 16-year-old boy arrested after the shooting on the school playground.
Here's another fact, one sure to be overlooked if all you see in the south Everett neighborhood is trouble: Day after day, people from churches, schools, social service agencies, the Everett Police Department and the Casino Road community itself join to make a unique place -- home to a largely immigrant and low-income population -- better.
The efforts of some are nothing short of heroic.
On April 29, The Herald told the story of Everett police Lt. Manuel Garcia, organizer of the Casino Road Futbol Academy. Garcia, who played professional soccer in Mexico, has over the past five years brought hundreds of children onto soccer fields. Soccer camps at Everett's Walter E. Hall Park blend sports with motivational lessons aimed at kids whose choices could lead to a dead end of gangs and violence.
Todd McNeal is another Casino Road hero.
An Everett contractor, McNeal is chairman of Casino Road Ministries. He runs a homework club in an apartment complex, and is involved in a loosely organized group called Casino Road Stakeholders. That group brings together businesses, neighbors, churches, charitable organizations and police for monthly meetings at Horizon Elementary. The school is part of the Mukilteo School District.
"We focus on the neighborhood," McNeal said. "Through our homework clubs we serve 345 kids."
One program that grew from Casino Road Stakeholders is Start Out Right, which has given away more than 1,000 backpacks to Casino Road area children at the start of the past two school years. "Start Out Right is headed up by our church, South Everett Foursquare," McNeal said. Everett's New Life Foursquare Church also supported the backpack effort, he said.
McNeal said Lt. Garcia has been the primary police representative at Casino Road Stakeholders meetings.
Last week's shooting was awful news, but Mukilteo School District spokesman Andy Muntz praised the Everett police and the larger community for their response.
"When this incident happened Tuesday night, the police were there within 90 seconds. Our principal was still at work, and the police were there before she got out of the building," said Muntz, adding that a couple of Everett officers have embraced Horizon Elementary as a place to make a real difference.
"And a couple of pastors showed up at the school Wednesday morning and said they were available if kids wanted to talk about what happened. This comes back to the community groups," Muntz said.
As one violent incident was making headlines last week, quiet efforts were continuing to help the children of Casino Road.
Susan Songstad is one more hero. She's a teacher at Explorer Middle School, but for more than a year has been an organizer of the Clothing Exchange at Horizon Elementary. The clothing swap, held in January and June, is hosted by Horizon Principal Leslie Clauson. Its reach goes beyond the school.
People from the Casino area are invited to "shop" for clothes at the school. And representatives from the Everett Office of Neighborhoods, Casino Road Futbol Academy, Familias Unidas and other agencies set up tables to provide information, Songstad said.
The next clothing swap will be from 10 a.m. to noon June 4 in the Horizon gym. Donors are encouraged to drop off new and gently used clothing at the school between 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. June 3.
"One of the most exciting pieces of this event is that local community members are taking ownership and have just about taken over running it," Songstad said.
"So many wonderful things are going on," said McNeal, who once lived in the Casino Road area. He isn't blind to the perils -- the gangs, drugs and crime. He has worked with children of drug-addicted parents. He said he was nearby when a shooting happened last year.
"I've always had a heart for Casino Road," he said. "It's a unique place. We will not be afraid. This is our neighborhood and those are our kids."
Are conditions on Casino Road getting better -- or worse?
"I see the families that we work with doing better. I truly believe we're making a difference in these kids' lives," McNeal said.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460, muhlstein@heraldnet.com.
A 17-year-old boy was hospitalized and a 16-year-old boy arrested after the shooting on the school playground.
Here's another fact, one sure to be overlooked if all you see in the south Everett neighborhood is trouble: Day after day, people from churches, schools, social service agencies, the Everett Police Department and the Casino Road community itself join to make a unique place -- home to a largely immigrant and low-income population -- better.
The efforts of some are nothing short of heroic.
On April 29, The Herald told the story of Everett police Lt. Manuel Garcia, organizer of the Casino Road Futbol Academy. Garcia, who played professional soccer in Mexico, has over the past five years brought hundreds of children onto soccer fields. Soccer camps at Everett's Walter E. Hall Park blend sports with motivational lessons aimed at kids whose choices could lead to a dead end of gangs and violence.
Todd McNeal is another Casino Road hero.
An Everett contractor, McNeal is chairman of Casino Road Ministries. He runs a homework club in an apartment complex, and is involved in a loosely organized group called Casino Road Stakeholders. That group brings together businesses, neighbors, churches, charitable organizations and police for monthly meetings at Horizon Elementary. The school is part of the Mukilteo School District.
"We focus on the neighborhood," McNeal said. "Through our homework clubs we serve 345 kids."
One program that grew from Casino Road Stakeholders is Start Out Right, which has given away more than 1,000 backpacks to Casino Road area children at the start of the past two school years. "Start Out Right is headed up by our church, South Everett Foursquare," McNeal said. Everett's New Life Foursquare Church also supported the backpack effort, he said.
McNeal said Lt. Garcia has been the primary police representative at Casino Road Stakeholders meetings.
Last week's shooting was awful news, but Mukilteo School District spokesman Andy Muntz praised the Everett police and the larger community for their response.
"When this incident happened Tuesday night, the police were there within 90 seconds. Our principal was still at work, and the police were there before she got out of the building," said Muntz, adding that a couple of Everett officers have embraced Horizon Elementary as a place to make a real difference.
"And a couple of pastors showed up at the school Wednesday morning and said they were available if kids wanted to talk about what happened. This comes back to the community groups," Muntz said.
As one violent incident was making headlines last week, quiet efforts were continuing to help the children of Casino Road.
Susan Songstad is one more hero. She's a teacher at Explorer Middle School, but for more than a year has been an organizer of the Clothing Exchange at Horizon Elementary. The clothing swap, held in January and June, is hosted by Horizon Principal Leslie Clauson. Its reach goes beyond the school.
People from the Casino area are invited to "shop" for clothes at the school. And representatives from the Everett Office of Neighborhoods, Casino Road Futbol Academy, Familias Unidas and other agencies set up tables to provide information, Songstad said.
The next clothing swap will be from 10 a.m. to noon June 4 in the Horizon gym. Donors are encouraged to drop off new and gently used clothing at the school between 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. June 3.
"One of the most exciting pieces of this event is that local community members are taking ownership and have just about taken over running it," Songstad said.
"So many wonderful things are going on," said McNeal, who once lived in the Casino Road area. He isn't blind to the perils -- the gangs, drugs and crime. He has worked with children of drug-addicted parents. He said he was nearby when a shooting happened last year.
"I've always had a heart for Casino Road," he said. "It's a unique place. We will not be afraid. This is our neighborhood and those are our kids."
Are conditions on Casino Road getting better -- or worse?
"I see the families that we work with doing better. I truly believe we're making a difference in these kids' lives," McNeal said.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460, muhlstein@heraldnet.com.
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