Centerville Rotary donates items to home for boys

The Rotary Club of Centerville welcomed very special guests at its meeting last week: representatives from the Broken Shackle Ranch. Broken Shackle is a home for young men in Davisboro.

Broken Shackle was started in 1984 and is a Christian-based ministry that not only provides a home for young men, but also provides education and vocational training for the young men. Rotary District Gov. Pam Lightsey selected Broken Shackle Ranch as one of her projects this year.

David Cobb, administrator at Broken Shackle, said about 8,000 young men ages 16-21 have gone through the program in the 30-plus years since Broken Shackle was started. The background of these young men is varied — some have been abused, abandoned or had trouble with the law.

Broken Shackle receives some funds from the state of Georgia — a per diem for the living expenses, but the educational portion of Broken Shackle’s ministry is not reimbursed by the state and is paid for through donations and sponsorships. Broken Shackle provides vocational training and job training in areas such as construction, welding and auto maintenance. Broken Shackle also offers lifestyle training as well.

“These are kids that have never ordered from a menu, never had a vacation. We teach life skills like making your bed, the importance of brushing your teeth. The saying about teaching a man to fish — that is literal for us,” Cobb said.

Teaching the young men why to fish is just as important, Cobb said.

“It is just another aspect that as a person you know why you are doing this — is it just to put food on the table or is it to try make the Earth a better place and to give back to others. When these guys are able to give back, it gives them more purpose,” Cobb said.

Cobb’s presentation to the Rotary Club of Centerville included ways people can help Broken Shackle Ranch and the young men they serve.

“Top of the list is always prayer,” Cobb said. “We know that is what has made us successful for so long.”

Time — volunteering at Broken Shackle — was next on the list of needs. That was followed by resources — donations from money, to personal items like toilet paper to things that can be used in the vocational training area such as welding rods.

“One of the things we really push is family ties. The guys we deal (with), family is not really anything to them. They don’t have an example of what a family is supposed is to look like. One of things we can’t teach is self-confidence, but you can earn it and we give these guys the opportunity to earn self-confidence. We want them to think ‘I am not a failure, I have worth, I am a child of the King’ and to give them some hope,” Cobb said.

The Rotary Club of Centerville brought personal items — like pillows, towels and beddings — to donate to Broken Shackle and filled up a truck with the donations. For more information about Broken Shackle Ranch, visit its website at bsranch.org.

This story was originally published August 28, 2016 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Centerville Rotary donates items to home for boys."