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Print | E-mail to a friend SCHOOLS

Fatima focuses on long-term poverty solutions

July 18, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

BILL ROSENBERGER

The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- The Reverend Jim Sobus and Principal John Downey see Our Lady of Fatima Parish and Parish School as keys to finding a long-term solution to the poverty that plagues Cabell County and West Virginia.

That was the message the two had Thursday at a luncheon, during which they spoke about their vision. It seems both believe it will start with the children in the classrooms.

"We're beginning to have a huge push of outreach to our community through our Parish and the Parish School," Sobus said.

Sobus said there is a tremendous amount of concern for the poor in Cabell County, describing it as a multi-generational problem. Many people, he said, approach it with gauze and medical tape by giving cans of food and food baskets during Thanksgiving and Christmas, but he said that approach and mindset must change.

"Food baskets twice a year are nice, but it's not going to fix poverty," Sobus said.

Downey said the old saying, "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime," has changed to the point where the man may know how to fish, but many times he doesn't have access to water.

"We take a service learning approach," Downey said. "What they learn in class, they can immediately apply it to what they see happening around them."

Part of that approach is attacking poverty with solutions that aren't temporary. Treating the wound is still a good idea, but it's time to think about more long-term ideas, Downey and Sobus said.

Helping the students grow also includes offering the best academic curriculum and tools. When students return to school Aug. 20, they'll have access to a new computer lab with nearly 30 new work stations. About a half a dozen other new computers will be put into the classrooms as well, Downey said.

The school also has asked former Marshall University and current New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington for help through his 1st and 10 Foundation. The school has laid out a comprehensive Tri-State community service project called Green, Clean and Healthy that includes a recycling program, cleaning up neighborhoods and providing fresh vegetables to the poor.

In addition, the church has committed to doubling the $15,000 donated in 2007 to Eastern Cabell County Humanities Organization.

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