|
The Lealman neighborhood is home to a historically underserved population where children’s future is placed at risk by factors including poverty, drug or criminal activity in the home or community, and lack of opportunities for advancement. The Pinellas Sheriff’s Police Athletic League (PAL) has a new Executive Director, Randi Meyer, who is passionate about giving local children all the chances they need to succeed. “These kids don’t always know if they’re going to have food in their belly that night,” Meyer said. “They have incarcerated parents, drug addicted parents, alcoholic parents. At PAL, we make sure these kids have opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have.” PAL provides not only the athletics in its name, but mentoring, meals, academics, art, and a variety of positive role models to Lealman kids from kindergarten until they graduate from high school.
At the core of PAL’s work with kids are the afterschool programs at their two locations. Little PAL is for children from kindergarten through fifth grade and offers homework help, outdoor play, team sports, computer lab, art activities and, of course, snacks. Big PAL, for middle school and high school kids, offers all that and more. Team sports include soccer, basketball, and flag football. There are also classes in drug awareness and anti-bullying to give the kids the resilience to cope with difficult situations. Vans, provided by PCSO, pick up kids at nearby schools.
Big PAL also has an award-winning drumline, which partners with the PAL dance team. “The drumline and dance team get asked to perform at a lot of community events and parades,” Randi said. PAL supplies all lessons, instruments, and uniforms to participants ages 11 to 17.
Another favorite is the boxing program, where boys and girls learn strength, confidence, and self-discipline in the ring that can translate to dignity and poise in the rest of their lives. They’re taught in a USA Boxing-certified gym by a certified boxing coach.
The opportunities feel limitless. Pinellas PAL has trivia contests, indoor games like ping pong and pool, and video games too. Coaches lead a daily art project to inspire kids to be creative. There’s even a skate park. Kids are encouraged to try new things, experiment, and step out of their comfort zone in a safe and supported way.
During the summer, both Big PAL and Little PAL have summer camps that feature many of the same fun activities and opportunities, plus weekly field trips to local attractions, museums, and more. Meyer’s last job was with the Florida Aquarium. There, she saw that only a certain kind of kid usually got to take field trips to the aquarium. “It was kids who could afford the fee, or had engaged parents. But at our summer camp the kids go on a field trip every Friday – really nice places like Adventure Island and museums. The camp costs $500 for the whole summer.” That’s the same price as just a week of many other summer camps. “There’s a sliding scale though so most parents don’t pay that. Some parents pay nothing.”
No one is turned away because of financial hardship. That’s the benefit of being relatively small – PAL staff know the parents, the family situation, and know who needs help. “You’re not just a number here, like kids might be in a bigger nonprofit or even in the school system,” Meyer said. “Kids don’t get lost with us. We all know every kid. It’s like a family, and that’s a really cool aspect of Pinellas PAL.”
PAL has plenty of success stories. PAL can help kids go to college, whether through academic or financial help. One young man was struggling to graduate from high school, and the PAL staff never gave up on him. “I think everyone in this office pushed for him to get on the right path,” said Credentialed Director Natalie Peraza. “They were calling the school, the guidance counselor, asking how we get this kid to graduate. And he did it – he did it this summer. He had a lot of catching up to do but he worked his butt off, and he did it. He’s an example of a kid who was just not going in the right direction and we all rallied behind him. We were so proud of him.” PAL helped one young man get a large scholarship. Other kids have gone from participants to Junior Coaches, a part-time, paid position for teens, and four former participants are full-fledged PAL Coaches now.
Pinellas PAL is currently seeking new board members who can contribute their expertise, ideas, and energy to help shape the future of PAL. “We are actively seeking passionate and committed individuals who share our dedication to providing opportunities to underserved youth in our community,” Meyer said. “If you’re enthusiastic about making a positive impact on the lives of young people and interested in joining our board, we would love to hear from you.” The board meets approximately eight times a year, providing a platform for strategic planning and decision-making to ensure the success of PAL’s programs. Meyer encourages anyone who is interested to reach out. “Your commitment and passion can play a vital role in transforming the lives of the youth in our community. Together, we can create meaningful opportunities and inspire positive change.”
Pinellas PAL is partially supported by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, but needs community support to continue helping the children of Lealman. Their annual fundraiser, the PAL Breakfast, will be Thursday, November 9th at the Hilton Carillon Park, 950 Lake Carillon Drive. Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. and the program starts at 8:00 a.m.. This year’s theme is “Breakfast of Champions,” acknowledging not only that the kids are champs, but so are the people who give generously to support them. They’re seeking sponsors who can buy tables at the breakfast, or donations from people who are unable to attend but would still like to do what they can to help. Meyer promises that the food will be incredible. “Biscuits and gravy, pancakes with strawberry compote, crispy bacon, home fries.” Emmy Award winning reporter and anchor Mark Wilson will emcee, and you may even get to chat with the sheriff over muffins. You can find out more about the PAL Breakfast here.
Money is always great, but there are plenty of other ways to help PAL. “In-kind donations help a lot,” Meyer said. “We feed the kids every day, so restaurants can donate food. You can donate toys for our Christmas drive. Anyone who wants to help but doesn’t know how can email us at info@pinellaspal.com.”
You can also help PAL while earning money. The pay for a Coach is $20 an hour. “I’ve spent the last 30 years of my life in the nonprofit world, and I can say this is pretty good pay,” Meyer said. PAL has several part-time positions available. “Our ideal candidate is definitely patient, absolutely outgoing,” Meyer said.
“You need to have a grip on today’s kids,” said Peraza. “You need to have an idea what they’re going through. We’d like someone with a little bit of life experience, so they can relate. Because the most important thing is gaining their trust, and that’s not always easy to do. If you can’t relate to the things they’re going through you’re going to lose them. The ideal candidate isn’t necessarily someone who has been through it themselves, but who has an idea, and can be sensitive to what these kids go through on a daily basis.”
A PAL employee should also be immersive and engaging. “You have to be someone who spots an opportunity – maybe a kid who is sitting alone in a corner, or having a bad day and not participating – and be able to engage with that kid, connect with that kid to get them back in.”
She also emphasizes that an applicant should be active and able to work in the heat. “We can work with anyone who is eager, excited, and happy to be here.”
For more information about Pinellas PAL, visit pinellaspal.com.
| 
