Operation Fresh Start thriving after 30 years
Meghan Carpenter, Clarion Arts & Culture Editor
Issue date: 3/11/09 Section: News
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It began in 1970, when a retired Madison police officer grew tired of seeing the same young men going in and out of jail and he decided to give them a new outlet. This program began as a way to simply teach the male offenders carpentry, but he quickly realized there was more to be done than learning a new skill. Many of these young men were homeless or experienced troubled family life, leading this Madison volunteer to realize that this was quickly becoming more than a carpentry class.
Operation Fresh Start used the young men's new skill to build quality homes for low-income families. In 1998 Wis. Governor Tommy Thompson volunteered on Madison's volunteer day to work along side Madison's youth building a house. He was so impressed he insisted the process be followed around the state. Madison's program was used as a base model, in turn developing Wisconsin Fresh Start.
Thirteen Wisconsin communities have welcomed the Wisconsin Fresh Start program to contribute to the education of Wisconsin's "at risk" youth. The young men and women participating in Fresh Start are required to work on their GED, or educational equivalent, and can count on a steady income that is used to fund their education.
Each location consists of two crews, two supervisors, and one teacher from the local school system. For nine years the Wausau building site has been extremely successful, working with about 150 students, building numerous houses for low-income, first time homeowners. "We have been very successful in the past couple years. Our graduation rate has been 100% for the past two years," said Mickey Wurl-Koth, a supervisor for the Wausau site.
However, the Fresh Start program has affected a wide array of resources throughout Wisconsin. Green Bay Correctional facility has a cabinet-making program, under the instruction of Brad Hentages and Gary Ferron, which has done various projects across the state. This is a vital program because it gives the inmates employable skills and projects to focus on while doing their time; however, the resources needed are limited. The Wausau Fresh Start decided to give them the opportunity to build cabinets for the new house being constructed; No one expected the incredible level of quality the cabinets from the inmates of Green Bay Correctional would posess.
"It was some of the most phenomenal woodworking I've ever seen, said Wurl-Koth, "We bought the lumber needed for them to build the cabinets and that was about it. We couldn't have afforded anything as good as what they gave us."
The enthusiastic response was the same from Green Bay Correctional.
"It's important to get good projects to better enhance their skills, said Jack Doruff, Educational Director of Green Bay Correctional, "These guys are not the cast offs everyone thinks they are, they worked hard to finish this and meet the standards. And if we can help Fresh Start as part of our program, its kind of a win-win situation."
The volunteers at Wausau could not be more proud of the finished result. In fact, the finished houses, which include the work of the inmates at Green Bay Correctional, will be showcased in an open house on May 14 in Wausau, Wis.
It is apparent that Operation Fresh Start has been incredibly successful in guiding young people down a more constructive road and provides a low cost home to first time homeowners. And after 30 years contributing to our community they have more crews then ever before, with many more on a waiting list, according to Jim Sanders, Deputy Director. Unfortunately, certain aspects of Fresh Start are experiencing difficulties.
Because of the downturn of the economy Fresh Start is sitting on nine unsold houses, and in the process of building seven more.
"They are usually sold before their done, but because of the economy they are on a month to month deal," said Sanders.
So spread the word among our community that Fresh Start is not a program that should fail. It has contributed much to the youth of Madison, its time we do our part to make it a continued success across this state.
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