Pictured are Messenger Dave Brown, Optimist Club President David Kafitz, Messenger Gordan Brown, and Andy Broughton. Each of the speakers received a copy of the Optimist Creed.
By Rick Abercrombie
On February 13 St. Andrews Optimists enjoyed the message of Andy Brughton and a pair of his protégés. Broughton is a veteran of 33 years with the Department of Juvenile Justice who interacted with incarcerated youth throughout his career.
In those encounters he began to realize that if he formed a trusting relationship with a young person, there was real potential for turning a life around. With that learning as motivation, Broughton founded the “Keep on Giving” Foundation (“KOG”).
Broughton first recruited a small number of inmates, whose trust he had earned, who could then speak messages of hope to other inmates in the Midlands. The program allowed still-incarcerated youth to help prepare inmates for reintegration into society as positive citizens.
The KOG bedrock has always been pairing individuals with caring adults who were well aware of the difference they could make in a young life. Broughton’s next step was to recruit reliable inmates to for a de facto speakers faculty called “Messengers.”
KOG Messengers now can travel in small groups to correctional facilities in other states to spread their messages of encouragement. It is a pure example of peer leadership. Those speaking engagements to other areas have extended as far as Delaware. Broughton believes the Messenger program has nationwide potential.
A second service of KOG is its “youth giveaway” event where Messengers, yard sale style, deliver used household goods to low- income communities as free gifts to the residents.
A third project is to create a clothes closet of business attire to equip newly-released youth for proper job interview dress. Suits, dress shirts, ties and shoes are all welcome donated items. Broughton finally introduced Messengers Gordan Brown and Dave Brown who spoke of the impact KOG has had on their lives. The “two Browns” have accompanied Broughton on several out-of-state speaking trips
