Billy Todd
Staff Writer
This week Faith and Family feature is a bit different. We are focusing on the family aspect of our weekly feature section, and this event is current to our community. “A Call To Men” is a program that is being offered by Phi Theta Kappa, Sampson Community College and The Bee Hive Thrift Stores, on behalf of U Care (a partner agency of the United Way of Sampson County.”
This event is directed to youth leaders, men’s groups, fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, and the women who love them all. It is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 18, starting at 6 p.m. in the Activity Center at Sampson Community College.
Tony Porter will be the guest speaker for “A Call To Men.” He is the author of “Well Meaning Men, Breaking Out of the Man Box, and the visionary for the book, NFL Dads Dedicated to Daughters. Porter is an educator, activist and lecturer. He has worked in the social justice arena for over 20 years.
Porter is the original visionary and co-founder behind “A Call To Men.” The speaker is currently working with the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, college and universities around the country. He has worked with the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy. He is an international lecturer for the U.S. State Department, having done extensive work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Porter served as a consultant to The White House Commission on Violence Against Women and Girls and the Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women. In addition, he has been a guest presenter for the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women and has been a script consultant for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Pamela Gonzalez, U Care director, said she hoped the community will set aside the time to come hear Porter speak.
“I hate to have someone as dynamic as Tony here and no one knows he is coming or how awesome and inspirational he is,” stressed Gonzalez.
“I really believe this town needs some inspiration, with all the negativity we’ve been hearing; we need someone to let us know we are doing something right! … Our displaced homemakers program just assisted a whole crew of students to enroll in college in an attempt to improve their self sufficiency as they have been unemployed or under-employed for so long the survival of their family is at risk. Without any signs of getting a job in their former work they are returning to school to learn a different trade. I wanted to do this for those men and women. Let these men know they are still men…even if they do have to cry sometimes, that it is those tears that often make them even stronger. This program will be worth every minute of time spent listening to what he has to say,” remarked Gonzalez.
U Care staff member the Rev. Elwood McPhail has experienced Porter’s talks and believes it has great power.
“I have personally witnessed the story behind the “Call To Men” phenomenon that is changing hearts around the world. Tony has a unique talent that touches every person and takes us back to our youth. Now we can explain our behaviors in the present and be motivated to be better fathers and husbands. He encourages us to train our boys to be greater men,” asserted McPhail.
Porter’s focus will be “A Call to Men” where he will explain to men how to break out of the traditional stereotypical “Man Box” and to open up their hearts to their sons and their daughters to be the loving caring father, role model, and community leader that he has always wanted to be. In his program, he uses stories from his own experiences growing up and becoming an adult to help teach families how to let down those boundaries and to love and support each other.
The program is free to all who want to attend as the sponsors have paid all expenses to bring Porter in for this event. Seating is limited so please come early to secure your space!
“The family is such an important unit in today’s society. Whether it is made up of one parent, two parents, blended families, grandparents raising grandchildren or whatever the make up is of any family, the unit is how we grow people. How families go about growing their children is what makes up the adults in our society. Unfortunately we all do not come from strong, functional families and herein lies today’s problem for so many. They did not receive the proper love and support growing up. This is why we got together with Phi Theta Kappa and the Community College to provide this program. Hopefully we will have many families attend and they in turn will help spread the word that our families are important and there is a way to help them to become better,” remarked Gonzalez.
The program helps answer questions such as What type of value systems are we instilling into our youth today? Where did they learn that type of language anyway? and Would I want my neighbor’s son dating my daughter?
“We are excited to be able to provide this opportunity for our community. We urge everyone to come and take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to be better parents and grow better families,” asserted McPhail.
For more information regarding this event, contact: McPhail or Sunny Wilkins at 910-596-0931.
To contact Billy Todd, call 910-592-8137 ext. 117, or e-mail siobits@heartlandpublications.com
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