This
is about the best of what is inside of us. When I first heard about
this story, I wanted to cry. In 2002, Angela Dawson was trying to save
her blocks from the drug dealers and gangs trying to take it over. She
filed several complaints with the police department. Gang dealers
decided to shut her up for good. They burned down her house, killing
her, her husband and their five children ages 9-14. Yes, 5 children.
They're all dead and another point for the bad guys in the war against
drugs. A suspect was arrested and convicted and is in jail for life
without a possibility of parole. He was 21, so if he's lucky, he have
40 or 50 years to think about what he did and know he will never, ever
be free again.
But good can come from anything, even something as horrible as this. The home, which was ruined, has been renovated and is now called the Dawson Safe Haven Community Center. The $1.5 million it took to build it came from private and public resources. Now kids from the neighborhood can come to the center and use the computers that stand where the family's bedrooms used to be and do arts and crafts where their common areas used to be. They've also had a police camera on the corner.
I feel certain that Angela Dawson would be proud that her home has became a place where kids can have fun and occupy their free hours safe from drug dealers and gangs.
But good can come from anything, even something as horrible as this. The home, which was ruined, has been renovated and is now called the Dawson Safe Haven Community Center. The $1.5 million it took to build it came from private and public resources. Now kids from the neighborhood can come to the center and use the computers that stand where the family's bedrooms used to be and do arts and crafts where their common areas used to be. They've also had a police camera on the corner.
I feel certain that Angela Dawson would be proud that her home has became a place where kids can have fun and occupy their free hours safe from drug dealers and gangs.
