Crime Heats Up During Summer Chattanooga Months

It’s a quote that proves true summer after summer for school-aged children.

Robert Viera, with the Salvation Army, says, "We’ve all been kids and can easily get wrapped up in doing some things that you don’t need to do."

Salvation Army workers in Chattanooga say children as young as 8-years-old are being asked to join gangs on a daily basis.

They hear it first hand.

Major Algerome Newsome, also with the Salvation Army, adds, "We talk with kids who are ten and eight years of age who are on a daily basis being asked by gangs to join, so we have a place to come, a safe place, that they can come off the streets and don’t have to be bothered by any of that activity."

That safe haven is called summer camp.

Major Newsome says, "The goal is to keep them here in a safe environment."

The main attraction? A pool.

Viera adds, "This is the only pool in this community. Not only on this block, but if you look at the ten surrounding blocks, this is the only pool."

The Salvation Army is actually eying a new pool with a $2.5 million price tag.

Major Newsome says, "When you’re looking at 100 folks off the streets that are in an enclosed environment, if we can do that on a daily basis year round, I think we can put a real dent in the crime and gang activity and so forth."

The Boys and Girls Club of Chattanooga also use the pool for their summer camp.

It seems to be one of most overlooked gang-fighting tools in the city’s arsenal.

Viera says, "They’re being entertained, they’re being physically fit, at the same time, keeping their minds on doing something productive."

Necole Mabry, with the Boys and Girls Club of Chattanooga, adds, "We’ll have an educational component as well. We encourage that."

Another encouraging thing is the price of these summer camps.

Many are just $25 to $30 dollars a child.

That’s for a four, sometimes eight week camp.

All day camps include food, field trips, and father figures giving advice on how to be productive members of society.

Those summer programs start in a couple of weeks and fill up quickly.

Call the Salvation Army or the Boys and Girls Club of Chattanooga for more information.