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Sex offender among volunteers at children’s festival
By VANESA BRASHIER
The Advocate has learned that a registered sex offender was among the volunteers at the Texas Children’s Music Festival in Cleveland, an event sponsored on July 19 by the Community and Children’s Impact Center.
The Shepherd man once served time in the Texas prison system and obtained his sex offender status by sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s website, which publishes the names and addresses of the state’s sex offenders, the man is considered to be a “moderate risk.”
When asked about the sex offender’s involvement at the children’s festival, CCIC Founder Brenda Myers said his primary responsibility had been signing in people as they entered the park.
“He was getting names and zip codes of all the people so we would have a record,” she said.
On Tuesday afternoon when she was contacted by the Advocate, Myers claimed she was unaware of his sex offender status, but that she had learned that he had a criminal past during the event. However, late Tuesday evening by telephone, Myers tearfully admitted that she actually had learned about his sex offender status during the children’s festival.
“He said he had been in jail before, but it was not for anything serious. I guess I should have asked more about it,” said Myers. “He told us he was not a pedophile but was a registered sex offender. My brother and I discussed it. He looked at me and said, ‘Well, Brenda, we are about second chances.’ I told him he was right, so we let him stay.”
At the Lions Club luncheon on Tuesday, just before being contacted by the Advocate, Myers told the Lions that the Impact Center plans to sponsor a Predator of the Month billboard.
“We need to send a powerful message that Cleveland won’t tolerate these people coming to our events, threatening our children and stealing,” she said.
Myers vows she has learned a lesson from this experience and promises that CCIC is going to change their procedures for screening volunteers.
“What we are going to do is start taking pictures, thumbprints and copies of our volunteers’ driver’s licenses,” she said. “They will have to be cleared by the police department before they can volunteer.”
Myers cites her inexperience and naiveté for other problems associated with the children’s festival. In the July 30 edition of the Cleveland Advocate, we reported that $5,000 in festival proceeds had been stolen and questioned whether inebriated singers should ever have been allowed to perform at the event.
The Shepherd man once served time in the Texas prison system and obtained his sex offender status by sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s website, which publishes the names and addresses of the state’s sex offenders, the man is considered to be a “moderate risk.”
When asked about the sex offender’s involvement at the children’s festival, CCIC Founder Brenda Myers said his primary responsibility had been signing in people as they entered the park.
“He was getting names and zip codes of all the people so we would have a record,” she said.
On Tuesday afternoon when she was contacted by the Advocate, Myers claimed she was unaware of his sex offender status, but that she had learned that he had a criminal past during the event. However, late Tuesday evening by telephone, Myers tearfully admitted that she actually had learned about his sex offender status during the children’s festival.
“He said he had been in jail before, but it was not for anything serious. I guess I should have asked more about it,” said Myers. “He told us he was not a pedophile but was a registered sex offender. My brother and I discussed it. He looked at me and said, ‘Well, Brenda, we are about second chances.’ I told him he was right, so we let him stay.”
At the Lions Club luncheon on Tuesday, just before being contacted by the Advocate, Myers told the Lions that the Impact Center plans to sponsor a Predator of the Month billboard.
“We need to send a powerful message that Cleveland won’t tolerate these people coming to our events, threatening our children and stealing,” she said.
Myers vows she has learned a lesson from this experience and promises that CCIC is going to change their procedures for screening volunteers.
“What we are going to do is start taking pictures, thumbprints and copies of our volunteers’ driver’s licenses,” she said. “They will have to be cleared by the police department before they can volunteer.”
Myers cites her inexperience and naiveté for other problems associated with the children’s festival. In the July 30 edition of the Cleveland Advocate, we reported that $5,000 in festival proceeds had been stolen and questioned whether inebriated singers should ever have been allowed to perform at the event.
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Reader Comments
fontaine1963 wrote on Jul 31, 2008 12:21 PM:
" I cannot believe that more care was not taken in light of the nature of the event. Schools and churches routinely screen volunteers for sex offender status and this event should have been no different. Evidently lack of experience and knowledge led to a poorly-run festival by evidence of stolen monies and singers possible under the influence. I am glad that I only work here and not live here otherwise had I young children I would have been tempted to take them to the festival. And I highly resent the the gentleman's comment about the festival being about second chances and letting the sex offender stay. Where there are children there is NO such thing as a second chance involving sex offenders. This reflects poorly on the coordinators and on the city. Shame on you!!! "
faith wrote on Jul 31, 2008 4:15 PM:
" The City nor the coordinators are at fault. The City had nothing to do with this event and is not responsible in any way. They helped with the donations for the radio advertising and the park. We could not have done it with out them and they are greatly appreciated . But it's not thier fault. I wish people would get the facts straight. We were not aware of the sex offender until late into the event and there was no way to verify if it was true. He worked the front gate and was never in the children's area. i know it does not make it right for a bad decision but you live and learn. Let me ask you KAm or fountaine are you Christians. If you are please don't tell me you are judging someone for making a mistake. Maybe you would like to volunteer to help make these events better. Yes we are new and are learning and yes we made a bad decision but we have had lots of other events that have been successful. Atleast we are making the efforts to make this community a better place for the children. There was 1000 people at this event and was no way to track every worker or guest. We have wonderful opportunities for anyone who would like to help us do background checks and help us monitor these projects in a positve way.
My name is brenda Myers the President Of The Community & Children's Impact Center. I would like to tell you on the behalf of my organization is BEWARE this could happen to you. We now live in a world of evil and judgemental people. The Impact Team has tried to do nothing but work conuntles hours to the point of exhaustion to get a youth center in the area for your children to have a positive place to go. It's heart breaking. Why do victums always have to defend themselves?We were ripped off with a witness and a suspect and we are now defending our credibility. There were mistakes but God says He who shall throws the first stone. You can't tell me none of you have ever made of mistake. The only way you fail is not to try. The Impact team was about giving scond chances. We now realize just how easy you can be taken advantage of. Look how fast you can be turned against for one mistake. What about all the good we have done? All the hours from the volunteers who have families & jobs and still give of thier time. I'm asuming these nice ladies on here making these statements have never been out to help us or been to any of our wonderful events. None of us get paid a dime and we have raised $10,000. That's saying alot for any organization. This is all thanks to the business owners which I give a list to the Avocate after every event. Let's not forget the vounteers, citizens of all different communities and people coming from as far as Las Angeles, Louisana, Colorada, Oklahoma. If these people are coming from other states to help us why can we pull together in our own community.
It's like our churches, "if you murder someone", when or if yo ever get released and want to change and give your heart to Christ where dio you go? You go to a non-profit organization called a church. Does the pastor turn them you away or does he take a chance with all his other members and allow this person to redeem himself. This is when you trust in God. We know now the precautions that must be taken to protect us and the people of this community. The C.C.I.C. will not tolerate the people who are praying on this community though. I will be meeting with the police departments, organizations, and business in all communities to start a Predator Of The Month bill board. We feel this will at least make the criminals think twice when they see other photos of such criminals plastered accross this bill board. Do you ever think twice about when you drop your child off at the movies on Saturday night who may be setting next to them? Do you ever think twice when in Walmart, should your child go to the bathromm alone?
As parents and leaders we must start being less trust worthy and better monitor our surrounding areas as we have found out. Remember it even happens in our schools. I had a lady recently contact me about her 18 year old son who went to jail. She asked me if I could help and I explained to her I had no qualifications in this area. She insisted and after speaking with the young man I agreed to let him work with us on our October event. We all worked together and talked a lot. Do you know I walked into my church one Sunday and there he was? So muy question to the community is how do we judge as humans who to help and who not to help. Do we only help the honor roll , football, and straight a students. We have other children who desperatly need us and they are not perfect. The Impact center took a chance on trusting someone. We have to at some point try to help even if it cost us our reputation. Jesus helped everyone. The Impact teams few flaws were needing more volunteers, a little more oganizations, people not showing up, and trust volunteers. As Vanesa states we will be changing our policies for the better. Our funds will be in one locarion and better monitored. This story has opened the eyes of many people and the Impact Team. I have left a volunteer sheet at the Cleveland Advocate let's see how many people truely care about helping the children of this community. Complaining will not make a differance. I am a mother, a grandmother, and a citizen of this community and I want exactly what you want. A better way of life.
I know we are getting bad publicity right now and you may be wondering if we are worthy of this task. We are already getting a great response for people who want to help. If we shut down tommrow who else would step up and help. You may have already judged the Impact team but if we are able to put one more preditor in jail and get him off the streets of Cleveland then it was worth us losing the money and taking the criticism. If he is not convicted due to lack of evidenc, then we have opened your eyes to how easy it is to be fooled.
I would like to mention some details that was not mentioned in the papers. The comment being made about the funds from theCOf Cleveland and The Walmart Community Grant. The funds from the city went directly to the radio stations for the advertising it was never in the hands of the C.C.I.C. and The Walmart Grant still sets in our account waiting to purchase the land for the center. We are not reponsible for any actions of any performer that was at the event. We had wonderful entertainers but unfortunaley telling the wonderful things was not worth reading. A drunk on stage for 15 minutes is so much more attractive to readers. I wish you could have seen the awesome children perfomers and thier were lots of them. The main stage was no where near where the children activites were at anyway. It failed to mention the vantriaquist show, The $2,000 Exoctic petting zoo, the Christian Puppet Show, The bibles the children were getting, the Camel rides, the incrdible talent show, the jugglers, the T-Cup The Clown ice cream faces and the birdhouses being built, the musical crafts and more. I believe we were not given any credit for how well the other 10 hours went. We worked several months on getting this ready for our community. We got our gratification from the smiles of all the children. He was at the front enterance all day and was not in the children's area. We have learned from our mistakes and will take plenty of precautions at our next events. I asked the reporter how many people who complained were at our event and she said 4 or 5 and the rest were not even at the event. So please you can not judge if you were not there. Not even the reporter who was only there one hour. This is the real full story The children had tons of activities , the entertainment was awewsome, we raised some money for our land and everyone who helped made a differance. It was not perfect but it was pretty close. You read a short brief part of this festival in the paper and sounds just aweful but unless you were there you will never know. It was a success with over a 1000 people coming through the gates and only a handful complained about it till now.. Myself as a Christian can not be the judge of others. Can You ? "
My name is brenda Myers the President Of The Community & Children's Impact Center. I would like to tell you on the behalf of my organization is BEWARE this could happen to you. We now live in a world of evil and judgemental people. The Impact Team has tried to do nothing but work conuntles hours to the point of exhaustion to get a youth center in the area for your children to have a positive place to go. It's heart breaking. Why do victums always have to defend themselves?We were ripped off with a witness and a suspect and we are now defending our credibility. There were mistakes but God says He who shall throws the first stone. You can't tell me none of you have ever made of mistake. The only way you fail is not to try. The Impact team was about giving scond chances. We now realize just how easy you can be taken advantage of. Look how fast you can be turned against for one mistake. What about all the good we have done? All the hours from the volunteers who have families & jobs and still give of thier time. I'm asuming these nice ladies on here making these statements have never been out to help us or been to any of our wonderful events. None of us get paid a dime and we have raised $10,000. That's saying alot for any organization. This is all thanks to the business owners which I give a list to the Avocate after every event. Let's not forget the vounteers, citizens of all different communities and people coming from as far as Las Angeles, Louisana, Colorada, Oklahoma. If these people are coming from other states to help us why can we pull together in our own community.
It's like our churches, "if you murder someone", when or if yo ever get released and want to change and give your heart to Christ where dio you go? You go to a non-profit organization called a church. Does the pastor turn them you away or does he take a chance with all his other members and allow this person to redeem himself. This is when you trust in God. We know now the precautions that must be taken to protect us and the people of this community. The C.C.I.C. will not tolerate the people who are praying on this community though. I will be meeting with the police departments, organizations, and business in all communities to start a Predator Of The Month bill board. We feel this will at least make the criminals think twice when they see other photos of such criminals plastered accross this bill board. Do you ever think twice about when you drop your child off at the movies on Saturday night who may be setting next to them? Do you ever think twice when in Walmart, should your child go to the bathromm alone?
As parents and leaders we must start being less trust worthy and better monitor our surrounding areas as we have found out. Remember it even happens in our schools. I had a lady recently contact me about her 18 year old son who went to jail. She asked me if I could help and I explained to her I had no qualifications in this area. She insisted and after speaking with the young man I agreed to let him work with us on our October event. We all worked together and talked a lot. Do you know I walked into my church one Sunday and there he was? So muy question to the community is how do we judge as humans who to help and who not to help. Do we only help the honor roll , football, and straight a students. We have other children who desperatly need us and they are not perfect. The Impact center took a chance on trusting someone. We have to at some point try to help even if it cost us our reputation. Jesus helped everyone. The Impact teams few flaws were needing more volunteers, a little more oganizations, people not showing up, and trust volunteers. As Vanesa states we will be changing our policies for the better. Our funds will be in one locarion and better monitored. This story has opened the eyes of many people and the Impact Team. I have left a volunteer sheet at the Cleveland Advocate let's see how many people truely care about helping the children of this community. Complaining will not make a differance. I am a mother, a grandmother, and a citizen of this community and I want exactly what you want. A better way of life.
I know we are getting bad publicity right now and you may be wondering if we are worthy of this task. We are already getting a great response for people who want to help. If we shut down tommrow who else would step up and help. You may have already judged the Impact team but if we are able to put one more preditor in jail and get him off the streets of Cleveland then it was worth us losing the money and taking the criticism. If he is not convicted due to lack of evidenc, then we have opened your eyes to how easy it is to be fooled.
I would like to mention some details that was not mentioned in the papers. The comment being made about the funds from theCOf Cleveland and The Walmart Community Grant. The funds from the city went directly to the radio stations for the advertising it was never in the hands of the C.C.I.C. and The Walmart Grant still sets in our account waiting to purchase the land for the center. We are not reponsible for any actions of any performer that was at the event. We had wonderful entertainers but unfortunaley telling the wonderful things was not worth reading. A drunk on stage for 15 minutes is so much more attractive to readers. I wish you could have seen the awesome children perfomers and thier were lots of them. The main stage was no where near where the children activites were at anyway. It failed to mention the vantriaquist show, The $2,000 Exoctic petting zoo, the Christian Puppet Show, The bibles the children were getting, the Camel rides, the incrdible talent show, the jugglers, the T-Cup The Clown ice cream faces and the birdhouses being built, the musical crafts and more. I believe we were not given any credit for how well the other 10 hours went. We worked several months on getting this ready for our community. We got our gratification from the smiles of all the children. He was at the front enterance all day and was not in the children's area. We have learned from our mistakes and will take plenty of precautions at our next events. I asked the reporter how many people who complained were at our event and she said 4 or 5 and the rest were not even at the event. So please you can not judge if you were not there. Not even the reporter who was only there one hour. This is the real full story The children had tons of activities , the entertainment was awewsome, we raised some money for our land and everyone who helped made a differance. It was not perfect but it was pretty close. You read a short brief part of this festival in the paper and sounds just aweful but unless you were there you will never know. It was a success with over a 1000 people coming through the gates and only a handful complained about it till now.. Myself as a Christian can not be the judge of others. Can You ? "
fontaine1963 wrote on Aug 1, 2008 2:10 PM:
" I am a Christian but if someone has been convicted of a violent crime they will NOT have anything to do with my family or myself. I will not place loved ones in harms way at any time. End of story. "
Faith wrote on Aug 3, 2008 1:48 AM:
" Wow, It just keeps getting uglier. Vanesa keeps repeating over and over about the drunkin entertainer that was allowed to play at the festival. No one was allowed to drink at the festival. We had no alcohol signs up and we figured most people would realize this was a childrens function and we would not have to worry about this issue. The entertainer in question was only on the stage for 15 minutes out of a 11 hour show. We did not promote it and did not have knowledge it was going on. This has to be the best story of the month OMG a sex Offender at a Children Function . If you read Vanesa's story really well you will realize that there was nothing we could do about this man even if we wanted to . He has legal rights probably even more then we do. She states he could be around children. she states he is a moderate threat and he is no longer under the eye of the police. So what should the Impact Team do? Say get out of here. You can't be here. He had every right being there and there was nothing the police or us could do about it. He set at the table all day and was never in the children's area. I guess you would have had to be there to know that. You can not ask him to leave Walmart or the movie theaters or the grocery store. What is wrong with all these people. Vanesa says people were bombarding her office asking questions about the C.C.I.C & the board members, the money and the scandelous sex offender. I asked Vanesa how many people has come in to her office to looked at our records she so desperatley needed. She said only one person by the name of Dennis Sowell our local stalker. I also gave her a volunteer sheet and as of today no one has even bothered to come in and sign up. Vanesa is saying that people are questioning our wisdom. Who is these people. The same ones who busting down her doors to view our records. Our statements balance to the penny . All she wanted them for was to give to Dennis Sowell I'm sure because he's the one most interested in them. I asked her today if anyone had come into the office to sign up as a volunteer and she said no. This is not true. I got a call from a lady who called the chambers to get my phone number they told her to call the Advocate and the advocate told her to call the Chambers. And when she finally called the Advocate the 2nd time know one new about the sheet. What's going on. Have I mad someone mad. It seems really funny they did'nt ask for my records last month or the month before or the month before. These people with the wisdom where are they? Are they the ones trying to help these children? Are they the ones whispering around town about how badly we done and not lifted a hand to help. Wisdom comes with time and if these people who have all this wisdom would come forward we might be able to accomplish alot more. No it's better to critize then to offer thier wisdom, time, or expertice.
The day The Advocate called me about the sex Offender I had been crying for 2 days , dealing with the police and trying to recover from working on this event for 3 months. Vanesa called and asked me about the sex offender and I was afraid she was going to make it sound ugly and cause more trouble and so yes I did not tell her at first. I got off the phone and I prayed about it. I called her back with a hour and told her I would rather take the heat then be a lier. She said Brenda I know that was hard to do and I appreciate you telling me the truth. Then she turns around and makes it sound just as ugly as I knew she would . "I tearfully lied about it". She took out all the heart breaking honesty part. She is right about one thing she is a journalist and that what she does. Comapssion for people who make some small mistakes is not spared trust me. I love my town and am truely thankful for the people who has sponsored and donated time and time again to make these events successful. We could not done it with out you. You are completely responsble for us having $10,000 in the bank right now. We have found the land and we are working towrds getting it through these events. It's also been mentioned about my board members being my family . They are honest upstanding citizens and I'm proud of them. I even asked Vanesa if she would like to be on my board she declined because she is on the board at the chambers and a investor in the new race track a much more profitable endevor. I suppose some are upset that we are getting alot of donations from the community since it was mentioned in one article that we may be losing supporters because of our credibility. Our credibilty I'm confused again why our crdibility because someone come on stage drunk we had no control of. The sex offender that was there and there was nothing we could do. He volunteered. We had no way of checking all his information out at 9 pm in the evening and in the middle of a event. I don't believe this to be true. If we do lose the support of the community then we will have to just work harder. I believe that we have worked hard and pulled off another succesful event. We are doing what we said we were gonna do and that's get a youth center. If this organizaation does not have the wisdom who does. If there was wisdom involved there would already be a youth center in this town for these children. I keep asking myself if we closed our oganizatin down today would anyone else make the effort to get a center for the children. I have lived here 10 years and nothing not even close has been available for these kids. I surveyed over 900 children in the community and they all say the same thing. Maybe some one should do a article on the needs of these children. I have been to tons of meetings and not one time have I heard mention what our children need. I can barely get them to come to a event. We had people as far as Las Angles come to this event . If we can have people coming that far why can't this community stop trying so hard to stop a good thing and let's team up work together and make it happen. We are new at this and you learn from your mistakes. The only way you fail is not to try. If no one is coming in to Vanesa's office and complaining who is these people she's talking about. I bet I could name them all. Someone is on a mission but so are we. Does this community not want a youth center or just not me doing it? I'm grateful that The Advocate and Dennis Sowell are staying up to date on all of our information and giving us front page coverage. I just hope when we continue doing good things it will also make the front page.I have had some positve things though people are calling me and offering help now. I had a pastor friend of mine tell me yesterday that you will see the real people now. The ones who really care will stand by you and the judgemental people will always be judgemental. we have nothing to hide. We are just a bunch of honest people trying to make a differance. The tables will turn one day and it will be another one of the citizens plasterd on the front page . So beware no matter how hard you try there will always be someone there who will pick you apart. The Communtiy & Children's Impact Center will work hard, get better, and will have a youth center. I am not naive , nor am I inexperienced. I have pull off lots of other events with people coming in the hundreds, we have feed, clothed, and are working on scholarship funds, we have entertained, and have shown the children a better way then doing drugs are crime. We are proud and will continue to do what we are doing. I give God the Glory for getting us this far. You step on me you step on him. I know I could not have done this without his guidence. He is the Almighty and the only one I will have to answer to. I trusted the wrong people and we paid the price. We will be taking precautions at our next events and ther will be a next I promise. The Impact Center has not accused these 2 people vanesa is talking about . There was a witness that seen one of them take the money and I mentioned to Vanesa his wife worked the concession stand. These people have not be filed against and they are innocent until proven guilty. She should not be sharing this information because is is still a on going case. Who I'm I to say. I was stolen from, I've had accusations that we stole the money, we have been thrashed by the papers with out giving full details of our wonderful event and saying we have no wisdom that I'm naive, & inexperienced, losing supporters, losing my credibility all in 1 hour of vanesa being at my event. Maybe you would like to contact Brandon Reese from Congressman Kevin Brady's office he called me and said he had a wonderful time. Maybe you can call Harvey McFAdden who said it was a great event. I'm not sure where the heat is all coming from but it's sad that someone in this town does not want this youth center. Last question if this guy & his wife comes into your business are you gonna ask him to leave, If he comes in the movies and sets down next to your daughter are you gonna have him removed from the movie's . Can you have him removed from The grocery store. Someone is trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. I like this reporting stuff I just may take up the hobbie myself. Brenda "
The day The Advocate called me about the sex Offender I had been crying for 2 days , dealing with the police and trying to recover from working on this event for 3 months. Vanesa called and asked me about the sex offender and I was afraid she was going to make it sound ugly and cause more trouble and so yes I did not tell her at first. I got off the phone and I prayed about it. I called her back with a hour and told her I would rather take the heat then be a lier. She said Brenda I know that was hard to do and I appreciate you telling me the truth. Then she turns around and makes it sound just as ugly as I knew she would . "I tearfully lied about it". She took out all the heart breaking honesty part. She is right about one thing she is a journalist and that what she does. Comapssion for people who make some small mistakes is not spared trust me. I love my town and am truely thankful for the people who has sponsored and donated time and time again to make these events successful. We could not done it with out you. You are completely responsble for us having $10,000 in the bank right now. We have found the land and we are working towrds getting it through these events. It's also been mentioned about my board members being my family . They are honest upstanding citizens and I'm proud of them. I even asked Vanesa if she would like to be on my board she declined because she is on the board at the chambers and a investor in the new race track a much more profitable endevor. I suppose some are upset that we are getting alot of donations from the community since it was mentioned in one article that we may be losing supporters because of our credibility. Our credibilty I'm confused again why our crdibility because someone come on stage drunk we had no control of. The sex offender that was there and there was nothing we could do. He volunteered. We had no way of checking all his information out at 9 pm in the evening and in the middle of a event. I don't believe this to be true. If we do lose the support of the community then we will have to just work harder. I believe that we have worked hard and pulled off another succesful event. We are doing what we said we were gonna do and that's get a youth center. If this organizaation does not have the wisdom who does. If there was wisdom involved there would already be a youth center in this town for these children. I keep asking myself if we closed our oganizatin down today would anyone else make the effort to get a center for the children. I have lived here 10 years and nothing not even close has been available for these kids. I surveyed over 900 children in the community and they all say the same thing. Maybe some one should do a article on the needs of these children. I have been to tons of meetings and not one time have I heard mention what our children need. I can barely get them to come to a event. We had people as far as Las Angles come to this event . If we can have people coming that far why can't this community stop trying so hard to stop a good thing and let's team up work together and make it happen. We are new at this and you learn from your mistakes. The only way you fail is not to try. If no one is coming in to Vanesa's office and complaining who is these people she's talking about. I bet I could name them all. Someone is on a mission but so are we. Does this community not want a youth center or just not me doing it? I'm grateful that The Advocate and Dennis Sowell are staying up to date on all of our information and giving us front page coverage. I just hope when we continue doing good things it will also make the front page.I have had some positve things though people are calling me and offering help now. I had a pastor friend of mine tell me yesterday that you will see the real people now. The ones who really care will stand by you and the judgemental people will always be judgemental. we have nothing to hide. We are just a bunch of honest people trying to make a differance. The tables will turn one day and it will be another one of the citizens plasterd on the front page . So beware no matter how hard you try there will always be someone there who will pick you apart. The Communtiy & Children's Impact Center will work hard, get better, and will have a youth center. I am not naive , nor am I inexperienced. I have pull off lots of other events with people coming in the hundreds, we have feed, clothed, and are working on scholarship funds, we have entertained, and have shown the children a better way then doing drugs are crime. We are proud and will continue to do what we are doing. I give God the Glory for getting us this far. You step on me you step on him. I know I could not have done this without his guidence. He is the Almighty and the only one I will have to answer to. I trusted the wrong people and we paid the price. We will be taking precautions at our next events and ther will be a next I promise. The Impact Center has not accused these 2 people vanesa is talking about . There was a witness that seen one of them take the money and I mentioned to Vanesa his wife worked the concession stand. These people have not be filed against and they are innocent until proven guilty. She should not be sharing this information because is is still a on going case. Who I'm I to say. I was stolen from, I've had accusations that we stole the money, we have been thrashed by the papers with out giving full details of our wonderful event and saying we have no wisdom that I'm naive, & inexperienced, losing supporters, losing my credibility all in 1 hour of vanesa being at my event. Maybe you would like to contact Brandon Reese from Congressman Kevin Brady's office he called me and said he had a wonderful time. Maybe you can call Harvey McFAdden who said it was a great event. I'm not sure where the heat is all coming from but it's sad that someone in this town does not want this youth center. Last question if this guy & his wife comes into your business are you gonna ask him to leave, If he comes in the movies and sets down next to your daughter are you gonna have him removed from the movie's . Can you have him removed from The grocery store. Someone is trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. I like this reporting stuff I just may take up the hobbie myself. Brenda "
Faith wrote on Aug 3, 2008 8:05 PM:
" Impact Centers breaking News. Impact President Brenda Myers recieved a e-mail from Vanesa Brashier requesting our finanical reports for the last 12 months, our reciepts for 12 months. our pay pal account and one reciept from a purchase of a old used lap top so we could do presentations for potential investors. This will also be a great tool to have at the events to pull up information on predators or volunteers right on the spot.
2. I asked Vanesa how many people has come to the office to see the Impact Center financial reports and she said only one person Dennis Sowell. She said she made copies for him. The information that was given to Vanesa was for the folks to view, not pass copies of our bank statements all over town. It seems to me if all these people she is talking about was so concerned about these reports why has only 1 person come by to get them. She asked for the records so she could write a factual story about whether the Impact team can do fundraisers and get the correct facts. I'm sorry if you want the complete facts you will have a better chance talking to a professional CPA. This is going way beyond just doing a check on all non-profit organizations. She said Anita Wright and The Drivers organization will be next on the list to check out. I applaud her curious determination to see if we are being on the up & up. That's great. We will not be giving any more information to the newspapers. Our comments get twisted and it is only Vanesa's side of the story. If we give her this information we are not so sure all the details will be presented properly. We what the truth the whole truth and nothng more. All our records are in the hands of our CPA now. So anytime anyone in this community would like to view these records please let me know. I will be happy to share them with you. It can be viewed together with me at the CPA's Office so atleast we don't have the statements beinging copied all over town. We have nothing to hide and would be happy to share them with anyone at any time. If you would like to make a appointment let me know. The same goes for the newspaper and it's reporters they can view them at anytime under the supervision of my CPA.
3. I got a phone call today that Vanesa is now going to start asking people about how they feel about the Sex Offender being at the event. I'm sure it is upsetting to most people but it will never happen again. She is what they call milking the cow. It's was a mistake it's over. End of story. I'm gonna be doing my own survey. I would like to know how one week a reporter can praise a event take a photo of the same person who she claims to have been drunk and plaster his photo in the paper and write more things about him . Like what hit songs he has done. She told me she only had 20 minutes on Saturday night to do this story is this a excuse for not getting all the details of the event. Still she has not given you all the details. Then the next week she goes back and completely changes her story on views that are strickly her opinion. She says I lied well I guess that's calling the kettle black.
4. If you have not figured out by now that this is not just your average reporting this has become a personel attack on the C.C.I.C. I've had hundreds of phone calls saying Mrs. Myers hang in there we understand you made a mistake but at least your trying. Our children need this youth center. This story has become like a Hollywood Tabloid story. I have photo albums filed with pictures of children we have raised scholarship money for, events we have done in all the communities around here not just this community. We have spent thousand of man hours trying to help. With no compensation.
5. Mrs. Brashier has just posted some letters addressed to the editor and at the end of the letters she makes a comment about how people use the phrase Judge not least you be judge to cover up there mistakes. We did not cover up any mistakes . We admitted to making a mistake. Still the harshness is being thrown at us. She said that she sometimes goes to her brother in law to get advice and his opinion because he is a ordain minister. Why would she have to go to him for advice. If your hearts right with God you should be able to get the answers own your own. Pray about it. I know this is rediculous to keep having to defend myself and this organizzation but the hits just keep coming.
6. I have had atleast 5 people who said they went to the Cleveland Advocate to complain about the stories and how they have been attacking my organization and they said the Advocate would not take any comments and was refusing to let them talk to Vanesa. Vanesa says no one has come to her office to complain on either side. If no one is complaining where is all the heat coming from. Is this become personel. I can't believe anyone would be trying to tare down something that could be so wonderful.
7. We will be working with the forestry Service and another organization to start doing a clean up river program, a Hiking trip with nature hunts and scavenger hunts to teach the children about ther environment and how to identify things in the woods of the area. We will be teaching them what to do in case they get lost. We are looking for volunteers who would like to help and be a leader for the day. We will also be contacting The Keep Cleveland Beautiful Program to start helping them improve the clean up in town. If you would like to help we are looking for volunteers. Let this few bad things pass and let's learn by it and move on to more positive things. This is old news. Thanks Brenda Myers "
2. I asked Vanesa how many people has come to the office to see the Impact Center financial reports and she said only one person Dennis Sowell. She said she made copies for him. The information that was given to Vanesa was for the folks to view, not pass copies of our bank statements all over town. It seems to me if all these people she is talking about was so concerned about these reports why has only 1 person come by to get them. She asked for the records so she could write a factual story about whether the Impact team can do fundraisers and get the correct facts. I'm sorry if you want the complete facts you will have a better chance talking to a professional CPA. This is going way beyond just doing a check on all non-profit organizations. She said Anita Wright and The Drivers organization will be next on the list to check out. I applaud her curious determination to see if we are being on the up & up. That's great. We will not be giving any more information to the newspapers. Our comments get twisted and it is only Vanesa's side of the story. If we give her this information we are not so sure all the details will be presented properly. We what the truth the whole truth and nothng more. All our records are in the hands of our CPA now. So anytime anyone in this community would like to view these records please let me know. I will be happy to share them with you. It can be viewed together with me at the CPA's Office so atleast we don't have the statements beinging copied all over town. We have nothing to hide and would be happy to share them with anyone at any time. If you would like to make a appointment let me know. The same goes for the newspaper and it's reporters they can view them at anytime under the supervision of my CPA.
3. I got a phone call today that Vanesa is now going to start asking people about how they feel about the Sex Offender being at the event. I'm sure it is upsetting to most people but it will never happen again. She is what they call milking the cow. It's was a mistake it's over. End of story. I'm gonna be doing my own survey. I would like to know how one week a reporter can praise a event take a photo of the same person who she claims to have been drunk and plaster his photo in the paper and write more things about him . Like what hit songs he has done. She told me she only had 20 minutes on Saturday night to do this story is this a excuse for not getting all the details of the event. Still she has not given you all the details. Then the next week she goes back and completely changes her story on views that are strickly her opinion. She says I lied well I guess that's calling the kettle black.
4. If you have not figured out by now that this is not just your average reporting this has become a personel attack on the C.C.I.C. I've had hundreds of phone calls saying Mrs. Myers hang in there we understand you made a mistake but at least your trying. Our children need this youth center. This story has become like a Hollywood Tabloid story. I have photo albums filed with pictures of children we have raised scholarship money for, events we have done in all the communities around here not just this community. We have spent thousand of man hours trying to help. With no compensation.
5. Mrs. Brashier has just posted some letters addressed to the editor and at the end of the letters she makes a comment about how people use the phrase Judge not least you be judge to cover up there mistakes. We did not cover up any mistakes . We admitted to making a mistake. Still the harshness is being thrown at us. She said that she sometimes goes to her brother in law to get advice and his opinion because he is a ordain minister. Why would she have to go to him for advice. If your hearts right with God you should be able to get the answers own your own. Pray about it. I know this is rediculous to keep having to defend myself and this organizzation but the hits just keep coming.
6. I have had atleast 5 people who said they went to the Cleveland Advocate to complain about the stories and how they have been attacking my organization and they said the Advocate would not take any comments and was refusing to let them talk to Vanesa. Vanesa says no one has come to her office to complain on either side. If no one is complaining where is all the heat coming from. Is this become personel. I can't believe anyone would be trying to tare down something that could be so wonderful.
7. We will be working with the forestry Service and another organization to start doing a clean up river program, a Hiking trip with nature hunts and scavenger hunts to teach the children about ther environment and how to identify things in the woods of the area. We will be teaching them what to do in case they get lost. We are looking for volunteers who would like to help and be a leader for the day. We will also be contacting The Keep Cleveland Beautiful Program to start helping them improve the clean up in town. If you would like to help we are looking for volunteers. Let this few bad things pass and let's learn by it and move on to more positive things. This is old news. Thanks Brenda Myers "
john618 wrote on Aug 7, 2008 6:20 PM:
" Although I understand the concern and fully agree with the sentiment that, at the very least, a sex offender check should have been performed on all volunteers at a children's festival and that drinking should have been prohibited, it seems like Ms. Brasher is out to get someone. I believe that she is being a little harsh in her reporting. Of course, this may be the only way that Ms. Brasher knows how to be. Don't get me wrong, I believe that Ms. Myers made some errors, but I also believe that she has learned from this first annual experience and will do all that she can to prevent this from happening again. It seems to me, having read all the stories about the CCIC that Ms. Brasher has written, that she has a personal problem with Ms. Myers. I don't believe that the hometown paper is the appropriate medium to get back at someone. Keep your personal feelings out of the paper and report on actual news. FOOD FOR THOUGHT! "
Faith wrote on Jan 20, 2009 8:40 PM:
" New updates. The Community and Children's Impact has made major new improvements. We now have several new advisory members. 2 Cleveland PD Officers, 2 Cleveland Lions Club Members. We now have a Sex Offender personnel person who does background checks on every person. Just remember no matter what you do these sex offenders still go to your grocery stores, your churches, your movie theaters etc. We must as a team work harder to see things like this never happens again. I have made my apologies to the public, my Mayor & City Council and my community. We have done several more events that have been monitored with drug dogs and police officers.
We have a new Treasurer and new ways to keep the funds out of the hands of people who prey on good people. We hope to prove to you and the public we will continue to work hard and make extra efforts to make sure we have safe successful events for the community.
These articles are juicy with the bad stuff and not the good. We have new fun and exciting events still to come. The Impact Team will continue to do our best for the children of our community. Look at other past events such as The Mister & Miss Sweetheart Pageants.Our Maze Of Madness, Our Community Clean-ups, our bake sells to Feed The Hungry, Ringing the Salvation Army Bell, Visits to the elderly, Supporting The Chamber Banquets, winning 3rd place in the Cleveland Christmas Parade,Our 1st annual Make Me A Star event, all this can be found in The Cleveland Advocate's past stories. Good stories about good people doing good things. "
We have a new Treasurer and new ways to keep the funds out of the hands of people who prey on good people. We hope to prove to you and the public we will continue to work hard and make extra efforts to make sure we have safe successful events for the community.
These articles are juicy with the bad stuff and not the good. We have new fun and exciting events still to come. The Impact Team will continue to do our best for the children of our community. Look at other past events such as The Mister & Miss Sweetheart Pageants.Our Maze Of Madness, Our Community Clean-ups, our bake sells to Feed The Hungry, Ringing the Salvation Army Bell, Visits to the elderly, Supporting The Chamber Banquets, winning 3rd place in the Cleveland Christmas Parade,Our 1st annual Make Me A Star event, all this can be found in The Cleveland Advocate's past stories. Good stories about good people doing good things. "
kam wrote on Jul 30, 2008 9:10 AM: