SHILOH – Editor's note: this article was originally published on Saturday, May 17, 2008.

Courtesy of the Citizen-Times

Community hopes pavilion will offer kids positive alternatives
Frieda Nash believes the children in this troubled community need alternatives to the gangs that are gaining a foothold here, and she decided to do something about it.

"I didn't know a thing about writing grants," she said. "But I wrote one, and I got it."

That grant, from the City of Asheville, paid for the materials to build a pavilion at the community garden on Hampton Street, across from the community center. Students from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College provided the labor, and the group Bountiful Cities also provided help.

"We're trying to get children involved," said Norma Baynes, another association member. "We're trying to get all ages involved — grandmothers, mothers, aunts and uncles."

The project is a sign of strength in a community that has its share of problems.

According to Asheville police Lt. Tim Splain, members of a gang called Black Out Mafia Boys, or BOMB, wear black bandannas, black sweat shirts and black jewelry, and emulate national gangs, although they haven't affiliated with a national gang yet, he said.

"They've done some drive-by shootings and home invasions," he said. "So far it's only been homes where they know there's drugs."

A 16-year-old was shot earlier this month, and police have named a person of interest who they believe is involved in a gang called the West Asheville Resistance. Police said the victim was not the intended target of the shooter.

Nash and Baynes believe they can combat gangs with gardening, storytelling, barbecues and other activities.

"They're not bad kids," Nash said. "Once we got this place groomed up a bit, young people began to gravitate here. I plan to come down here this summer and grill vegetables from the garden."

"Most of the children here think food comes from a grocery store," Nash said. "We can show them it doesn't."

Several A-B Tech students and an instructor were shingling the roof of the pavilion recently.

"I probably would have loved to do this even if I wasn't a student," said Rama Malinak.

Instructor Heath Moody said his students usually love getting out of the classroom for some hands-on work, but they seem particularly enthusiastic about this project.

"We're working as a team, and every day we learn something new," said Julio Schulz. "And we get to do something good in the community."

Nash said she prays every day that the children of Shiloh will find a way other than gangs, and she believes the involvement of adults in projects like the garden will change young lives.

Looking at the pavilion, she said, "I can go to my grave knowing I've contributed something."

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