Peorians Start Club to End Violence
By: Sophie Nielsen-Kolding WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: June 23, 2012
PEORIA- One Peoria neighborhood is working to end violence, starting with burgers.
Stop the Violence is a new social club created by parents like Angela Smith who are tired of losing loved ones.
"We basically want a lot of young adults to come and help us with the younger ones to try to start them at a younger age to teach them that we can love each other. We don't have to fight each other," Angela said.
Smith said if the kids are at a cook-out or other activity, that means they aren't getting into trouble. Something that's all too common in the East Bluff.
Elasha Rogers is Smith's seventeen-year-old daughter. She said that kids in her neighborhood are "fighting, shooting, stabbing each other," which makes it hard to stay out of trouble.
"I mean it's too much violence. In order for me to stay out of trouble i don't have friends," Rogers said.
She said she thinks the club is a good idea for the younger kids. A positive mentoring system, so that they can grow up feeling safer than she does.
"I just want to get out of Peoria. I want my life, I want to live my life. I still got life to live and I don't want to get killed I don't want to get stabbed I don't want any of that," Rogers said.
Stop the Violence plans to host family days, marches, swimming for the kids and more. For information on how you can help out call Gail Jones at (309) 453-4690
Stop the Violence is a new social club created by parents like Angela Smith who are tired of losing loved ones.
"We basically want a lot of young adults to come and help us with the younger ones to try to start them at a younger age to teach them that we can love each other. We don't have to fight each other," Angela said.
Smith said if the kids are at a cook-out or other activity, that means they aren't getting into trouble. Something that's all too common in the East Bluff.
Elasha Rogers is Smith's seventeen-year-old daughter. She said that kids in her neighborhood are "fighting, shooting, stabbing each other," which makes it hard to stay out of trouble.
"I mean it's too much violence. In order for me to stay out of trouble i don't have friends," Rogers said.
She said she thinks the club is a good idea for the younger kids. A positive mentoring system, so that they can grow up feeling safer than she does.
"I just want to get out of Peoria. I want my life, I want to live my life. I still got life to live and I don't want to get killed I don't want to get stabbed I don't want any of that," Rogers said.
Stop the Violence plans to host family days, marches, swimming for the kids and more. For information on how you can help out call Gail Jones at (309) 453-4690
