DEMOPOLIS – The program’s motto is “Cultivating the minds of our youth and adults through the word of God.”

And that’s what Clinton Worthy and his leaders have done since establishing Volunteer Community Residents, or VCR, at the Hope Hills District Association in 2003.

“We wanted to give the children in the community something to do and educate them on different things,” Worthy said.

Freddie Charleston, VCR’s president, said the children participate in lectures, plays, skits, seminars and praise dancing.

“We teach them to respect their elders and how to conduct themselves as young men and women,” Charleston said. “We go on field trips too. We try to make it educational and fun.”

According to Charleston the children recently went on a trip to the Marengo County Prison where they were locked in a cell and some were even put in solitary.

“I wanted them to appreciate their freedom,” Charleston said.

The group also does community service.

In the past, the group has visited a local widow and cleaned up her home. They cut the grass, painted and did any other necessary tasks.

“The point is for them to go out and find needs in the community,” Charleston said.

Worthy added the group has also visited local nursing homes.

VCR’s choir has also been featured at the Christmas Tree Lighting at Bryan Whitfield Memorial Hospital two years in a row.

Although VCR’s goal is to provide positive activities to the community the group’s main goal is to keep it Christ centered.

“Our main goal is to help them accept God and let Him grow in them,” Charleston said. “They can’t get into our doors unless they bring their Bibles and we have a dresscode.”

Both the president and founder would like to thank Rob Mayton at Compact Trucking for being one of their biggest donors and would also like to extend appreciation to small area businesses that have made contributions in the past.

Donations fund field trips, daily snacks, materials and activities for the group.

VCR is in the process of planning a big Christmas play and also hopes to have a lock-in before the year is over.

“We try to find things that will interest and keep the kids attention,” Charleston said. “We are still deciding on an end-of-the year field trip to reward them.”

The non-profit organization is open to all community members ages 4 and up and currently has 31 children on it’s roster.

“Our intentions are to outgrow this building and we want to get as many kids as possible,” Charleston said. “And we want to be effective,” Worthy added.

The group meets every Thursday at 5:15 p.m. at the Hope Hills District Association on East Pettus Street.

Although the program was established for the betterment of area children, parents and guardians are urged to attend.

“We want to get the parents involved,” Worthy said. “If the parents are involved it’s easier to get the children involved.”

For more information, or to make a donation, contact Sister Jennifer Worthy at 289-5260 or Sister Terry Charleston at 289-7151.