Second ‘Ties that Bind’ hosted by Phoebe Network of Trust

ALBANY — Young boys missing a father figure in their lives were paired during a special event with male community leaders to show those boys the potential they have by taking a positive track in life.

Albany’s second “Ties that Bind” luncheon at Phoebe Northwest took place Thursday and was attended by about 50 middle-school boys whose fathers are absent in their lives. Each was accompanied by a male leader in the community to provide the youngsters with a positive influence.

Among those leaders included individuals from the health care industry, Dougherty County School System, Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany, Marine Corps Logistics Command, law enforcement and commissioners in Albany and Dougherty County. The event was coordinated by Phoebe Network of Trust.

Angie Barber, director of the Network of Trust, spoke of the love felt in the room when the young boys and their potential role models get together.

“Camaraderie happens here, and lives will be changed,” she said.

The event was scheduled during Men’s Health Week, which leads up to Father’s Day. Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany CEO Marvin Laster was the guest speaker. Each of the men attending was asked to provide a necktie to give to the boy he was with, which was a way to present the youngsters with gifts that offer them a symbol of distinction.

Jerome Brown, from Personal Chef to the Stars, also made an appearance and gave brief remarks on the concept of paying it forward. Brown is set to appear again at the annual Men’s Health Conference on Saturday at Phoebe HealthWorks.

Darrell Sabbs, community benefits coordinator at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, said before the luncheon that “Ties that Bind” is also meant to help single mothers who are overwhelmed and feel they may have failed their sons, and school teachers who can only do so much to reach out to the boys.

“In order to be a man, you have to see a man,” he said.

Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard started off her remarks at the luncheon by putting in a plug for Men’s Health Week “All those women (in your lives) want you to stop being a superman and start taking care of yourself,” she said.

She also thanked the men there for the role they were playing. Before reading the Men’s Health Week proclamation she recently signed, she spoke on the significance of the neckties. To the boys, she said, the gifts indicate that there are people in the community who care about them.

“When you get a tie, let it be a symbol that you can do anything,” Hubbard said.

Middle-schoolers tend to seek out role models to learn how to succeed, so there is incentive to offer them a positive one rather than give them the chance to find a negative one. During the luncheon’s tie presentation, the boys often need to be shown how to tie them because some are introduced to the neckwear at the event.

The Boys & Girls Club, Albany Recreation and Parks and the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office were among those identifying the boys who would most benefit from the luncheon. Former Dougherty County School System Superintendent John Culbreath hosted the event.

Similar events are being held this week in Terrell and Sumter counties.