TOLEDO, Ohio — Over the last year, violence has only increased in the Toledo area.
Now, a local organization is stepping up to bring positive guidance to a group of boys who might benefit from mentoring, in the hope of steering them toward a brighter future.
On Saturday, the group, Program Inc., held an event at Rustbelt Coffee in downtown Toledo, where they helped a group of young boys take another step toward becoming young men by teaching them how to tie a tie.
It may seem trivial to some, but it’s a skill that is important in the professional world and one the boys may have never had the opportunity to learn.
Program Incorporated Comes was created by Tramaine Rayford to give young boys the proper guidance in life.
"There is a lack of positive influence for young males. Specifically, fatherless young men,” said Rayford. “I just set out to disrupt that cycle of fatherless young men being incarcerated, being in homeless shelters, and suicide, and dropouts. So this is one of the events we have to disrupt that cycle."
The yearly event is designed not just to teach kids how to tie a tie, but also how to excel in life by giving at-risk boys positive examples to live up to.
Single mother Kelly Eischen says events like this help boys become successful young men.
"These mentors really have great hearts. They're giving their time to our community to see our boys improve. I think it's going to create a good future,” said Eischen.
Some of the boys are learning to tie a tie for the first time, while others have done it before.
And the kids don't just get a tie; they also get a suit, sunglasses, and cologne.
The suits for this year's event were donated Appaman, a New York based children's apparel company that saw a WTOL 11 Your Day segment about Program Inc.
During a time when violence is on the rise, the program hopes to guide the next generation of boys to become successful adults.
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