A husband and wife team in Williams Lake are continuing their efforts to help youth from criminal and gang-related activity despite some uphill battles.
Pat Graham, a former gang member who has turned his life around and now offers counseling and mentoring services with his spouse Erin, says there are many misconceptions lingering on social media.
“I think a common fact that a lot of people are missing in this case and they’re not understanding what we’re doing here by their comments is we’re trying to start with the basics of this community and say start with the children; let’s pull the children and the families that are innocent out of the situation and then start dealing with the gang problems.”
Graham says they are currently looking at setting up a donation fund, so they can potentially expand their services which are offered through their own pocket and adds that they have been receiving calls all the way from Quesnel to Vanderhoof.
“We’ve been asked by a family in Quesnel to help them with their 17-year-old youth. Unfortunately, he got out of Prince George juvie and was only out for a couple weeks and got into trouble again while he wasn’t with us.”
“We are definitely going forward with this and we are trying to help this fella and other young fellas get out of trouble the best way that we can.”
Pat and Erin who were in the Lake City over the May long-weekend, say they had been giving safe rides home to youth and families who felt they were in danger.