New Vision Quest facility gives residents mixed emotions

By Penni Schaefer
Meadville Tribune

06/22/08 June 21, 2008 09:07 pm

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GUYS MILLS — With phase one renovations to the dormitory almost complete, the new Vision Quest facility near Blooming Valley is preparing for the first contingent of 17- to 19-year-old youths from Franklin to arrive in September. 
“Our goal here is to begin small,” said Kenn Capper, state director for Pennsylvania residential programs at Vision Quest. “We will grow the culture here by starting out with 16 of our best kids.” 
According to Capper, those who are admitted into Vision Quest come as a “last stop in the juvenile system.”
“Of the 190 kids in Franklin, the majority of the offenses boil down to drugs, theft and minor assault — they have no felonies,” he said. “There are always exceptions, but most of these youths totally get that this is their last chance before getting put into the adult system.”
Next-door neighbor Nancy Smith, owner of Smith’s Country Gardens, was an outspoken opponent of the facility. She now has a lot of mixed emotions.
“I recognize that probably for every one ‘bad’ kid that there are probably six that are not,” she said. “But I still have reservations.”
In addition to fears that her property will lose value because of Vision Quest, she said that she has “heard stories from former employees of the Franklin facility.” As a result of the stories, and other factors, she is “considering precautions.”
“Kenn has been really trying hard and going out of his way,” she said. “We know his heart is in the right place and that the program is not a total loss. But we continue to have reservations.”
Capper, a retired sergeant major of the U.S. Marine Corps, has been with the 25-year-old organization for almost 10 years. Nationally it has more than 1,000 youths in Arizona, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Florida and Oklahoma.
Capper is headquartered in the nearest Vision Quest facility in Franklin. He plans to visit the Guys Mills facility weekly, but will leave the day-to-day operations to a chief administrator.
In addition to the newly remodeled dormitory, Vision Quest is simultaneously making improvements and upgrades to the former Sto Rox Booster Club house, which is on the site. It was once a pre-season training location for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two-story building will feature a dining hall, recreational room, computer lab and classrooms.
“Not only will these young men receive the education of a fully-credentialed school, they will also learn valuable job skills that they can utilize once they’re finished here with us,” Capper said. 
The property was suited well for the organization, according to Capper.
“Basically the building is broken up into three wings,” Capper said. “We started with an open bay design and built eight two-man rooms and several administrative areas.”
A carpeted common area will also give youths space to socialize and watch television. Nearby, there is a sleep room for staff.
After first-wing renovations are completed and the multi-purpose building is ready, the next phase of construction will be to complete the other two wings of the dormitory, which will ultimately house a total of 48 youths.  
The wide-open fields outside are appropriate for the organization’s vocational component — service animal training.  
“We have professional animal trainers coming from California who will teach our youth how to train dogs for disabled veterans,” Capper said. “They will raise the animals, care for them and train them to perform tasks such as turning on lights, opening doors and retrieving things.”
In addition to generating revenue for Vision Quest, Capper said there are other reasons for choosing service dogs.
“There are, of course, a lot of proven intangible benefits that come from caring for and raising animals,” he said. “And we think that this facility is well-suited for that purpose.”
With the anticipated arrival of the first group of youth three months away, Capper is planning an open house celebration. By welcoming the community, he’s confident Vision Quest will stand a better chance of being well-received.
Capper also plans to form a community advisory board that will work to address area residents’ concerns and also to give Vision Quest the opportunity to serve its neighbors through community service projects.
Smith said she and several other neighbors have already expressed interest in being on the advisory committee. She said she “welcomes the opportunity to attend an open house” there so that she can “become more comfortable with what’s happening.”

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