Schaeffer Halfway House JCO VI Willie Barraza and a team of youth worked during the month of July on a project to repair broken water lines and the sprinkler system that provides irrigation to the landscape. Overall this project cost about $400 to complete and saved the State about $2,000 in labor. In addition to the monetary savings, the project was a learning experience combining technical knowledge, manual labor, and team work to render success.
By Y. Denise Caldwell Community Resource Coordinator, Northern District Parole Office FLOWER MOUND, Texas - Larry Bossaler, McFadden volunteer McFadden Ranch Volunteer Larry Bossaler enjoys his assignment: Making sure that every youth who leaves the McFadden halfway house knows that people are praying for him and wishing him the best in his future. He is the man who brings them their “Good-Bye” backpack. When he delivers the backpacks, he makes sure to do three things – visit with the youth, show the contents of the backpack (because staff put them in the lockers until the youth leaves), and lastly close the visit with a heartfelt prayer. The youth enjoy and appreciate the backpack, the visit and the prayer. Many are a little anxious and scared to leave but knowing that the McFadden volunteers care enough to send them off in this special way, helps them feel a bit less worried. “I always bring an extra backpack,” Larry said. ...