JCAP’s First Men’s Class Graduates
September 28, 2019 at 12:07 a.m.
JCAP’s First Men’s Class Graduates
By Amanda [email protected]
The group was the first men’s class the jail has graduated, and Dukes said this program wouldn’t be possible without the commitment from community groups.
Courtney Jenkins is the JCAP coordinator and has spent much of her time volunteering to help inmates. To Jenkins, it really is part of who she is.
“To say that I’m proud of these guys is silly to say,” Jenkins said emotionally. “Because they’re my guys.”
Jenkins said when she goes home at night, her family asks about them and the same is true when she is in the jail. “They ask about my day,” she said, noting they even knew when one of her children broke her thumb. “They’re really good people,” Jenkins said. “They care.”
Caring was a common theme during the graduation ceremony – whether from the presenters or the inmates.
Dukes said when he first started working with the guys, Zac White asked the sheriff why he cared about them. Dukes said, “It’s not about me! They’re coming together to make Kosciusko County better. Look at Neal, I chased that man for 20 years in my career, and he’s clean! That’s what we want.” Dukes specifically recognized Neal Minnick and called him a leader.
“I want to publicly say thank you,” Dukes told Minnick. “For holding these men accountable, for bringing them up when they need brought up and for having their backs. Thank you.”
Dukes called on Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer to comment on his experience when he went into the jail with these men. The mayor said he was impacted by them and by the amount of community support this program has.
Dukes said he took Congresswoman Jackie Walorski back into the jail when she visited last and told her to tell President Donald Trump about the men and the good work that’s happening in Kosciusko County.
“Men, life’s tough. Life is tough,” Dukes said. “Fall back on your training. That’s how you survive, I guarantee it. You can do it. We have your backs, we’ve laid it out, the ball’s in your court.”
The men spent part of their days for the last 15 weeks with community groups that would come into the jail and teach, listen or even work out.
Speakers from the groups all talked at the graduation and included The Bowen Center, The Beaman Home, Kosciusko County Purdue Extension Office, Warsaw Community Schools Adult Education, Lake City Bank, New Life Christian Church and World Outreach, True Purpose Ministries, Fellowship Missions, Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition, Before5.org, Kosciusko County Human Resource Association, A Bridge To Hope, Haymaker Fitness and SMART Recovery.
Vicki Cook, with KHRA, said, “When they walk out of this jail, they’re not who they were. They’re people like us within the community. Pay it forward.”
The group was the first men’s class the jail has graduated, and Dukes said this program wouldn’t be possible without the commitment from community groups.
Courtney Jenkins is the JCAP coordinator and has spent much of her time volunteering to help inmates. To Jenkins, it really is part of who she is.
“To say that I’m proud of these guys is silly to say,” Jenkins said emotionally. “Because they’re my guys.”
Jenkins said when she goes home at night, her family asks about them and the same is true when she is in the jail. “They ask about my day,” she said, noting they even knew when one of her children broke her thumb. “They’re really good people,” Jenkins said. “They care.”
Caring was a common theme during the graduation ceremony – whether from the presenters or the inmates.
Dukes said when he first started working with the guys, Zac White asked the sheriff why he cared about them. Dukes said, “It’s not about me! They’re coming together to make Kosciusko County better. Look at Neal, I chased that man for 20 years in my career, and he’s clean! That’s what we want.” Dukes specifically recognized Neal Minnick and called him a leader.
“I want to publicly say thank you,” Dukes told Minnick. “For holding these men accountable, for bringing them up when they need brought up and for having their backs. Thank you.”
Dukes called on Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer to comment on his experience when he went into the jail with these men. The mayor said he was impacted by them and by the amount of community support this program has.
Dukes said he took Congresswoman Jackie Walorski back into the jail when she visited last and told her to tell President Donald Trump about the men and the good work that’s happening in Kosciusko County.
“Men, life’s tough. Life is tough,” Dukes said. “Fall back on your training. That’s how you survive, I guarantee it. You can do it. We have your backs, we’ve laid it out, the ball’s in your court.”
The men spent part of their days for the last 15 weeks with community groups that would come into the jail and teach, listen or even work out.
Speakers from the groups all talked at the graduation and included The Bowen Center, The Beaman Home, Kosciusko County Purdue Extension Office, Warsaw Community Schools Adult Education, Lake City Bank, New Life Christian Church and World Outreach, True Purpose Ministries, Fellowship Missions, Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition, Before5.org, Kosciusko County Human Resource Association, A Bridge To Hope, Haymaker Fitness and SMART Recovery.
Vicki Cook, with KHRA, said, “When they walk out of this jail, they’re not who they were. They’re people like us within the community. Pay it forward.”
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