Within the Warmth of Main Street’s Honey and Hops, Reaching Out Now’s President Samantha Barber and Her Staff Share a Vision for Youth Center with the Community

Beginning at 2 p.m. on December 9 at Honey and Hops, located at 212 East Main Street A, non-profit Reaching Out Now (RON) held a fundraiser with a meet and greet atmosphere, serving food and drink to the community as Honey and Hops continued to hold regular business. All were invited to hear more about RON’s vision for revitalizing the old Santmyers Youth Center, its new name revealed at this fundraiser to be the Raymond E. Santmyers Student Union and Activity Center. Questions were welcomed as RON President Samantha Barber and her staff shared information and emphasized the importance of community involvement.

A sizeable crowd, including Town Council members and our new lady sheriff Crystal Cline, attends an open house fundraiser for Reaching Out Now, held at Honey and Hops on Main Street, to eat delicious food provided by the non-profit, and hear from President Samantha Barber and staff about RON’s vision for revitalizing the Santmyers youth center, which was the object of the fundraiser. Royal Examiner Photos, credit Brenden McHugh.

Mayor Lori Cockrell (L) assists in unveiling the name of the new youth center: Raymond E. Santmyers Student Union and Activity Center.

Owner of Honey and Hops, Isaac Rushing, continues to serve guests as the fundraiser progresses at his establishment.

This reporter shamelessly takes a side, proud to stand with his heroes. (L) to (R): Royal Examiner reporter Brenden McHugh, Barber couple Joe and Samantha, Adisyn Waters, and Marie Coffron. Waters and Coffron will be mentors at the youth center.

The possibility of a revitalized youth center is quickly becoming a reality, as asbestos has been removed from the flooring of the original building, and Barber and staff have identified what they need to do to be ready for the projected April opening. They look forward to receiving the keys to the building next month, as well as continuing to troubleshoot problems, and addressing aesthetic concerns that may overlap with opening in April. Their interactions with the County and Town have been amicable, and they look forward to continuing that partnership.

A new youth center, offering tutoring opportunities and other activities that provide guidance and hope to young people, is a possibility that resonates deeply with many among our town’s leadership. They remember the Santmyers from when they were young people, dealing with all the unique challenges that face young people across our community. People like Councilman Bruce Rappaport and Councilman Glenn Wood reminisced with each other about the haven Raymond Santmyers and his family provided to the community’s youth. It was a drop-off point where parents could be confident that their children were cared for, safe, and mentored for their brightest future.

Even Mayor Lori Cockrell, native to Warren County, did not attend the youth center as often as Rappaport and Wood but can testify nonetheless to what a rock that establishment was to their community. This is a concern that interests public servants like Cockrell, Wood, and Rappaport, the time it took to attend the fundraiser being worthy pie slices out of their busy schedules.

Our newly elected sheriff, Crystal Cline, was also present with her husband, George, and she took advantage of an open mic opportunity to share just how much the center meant to her as a young person and how much it continues to mean to her as a point of contact with people who will never forget their time together there. It is a wonderful way of putting children on a positive path.

At one point in the program, Samantha Barber indicated a suggestions box where anyone could leave messages expressing what they hope to see in the new youth center. “You can dream with us, per se,” she said. All of Warren County’s youth, be they public schooled, private schooled, or homeschooled, will be the top priority for Barber and her team; that is why input from parents and students from all walks of life is so important to her. Of course, anyone wishing to donate to or become more involved with RON’s mission can reach them at https://reachingoutnow.org.

The program featured a raffle and an auction, the proceeds of which go to making the Raymond E. Santmyers Student Union and Activity Center a reality. As the mayor and others prepared to unveil the youth center’s new name, Barber said, “We do everything intentionally, and we wanted to make sure that [the new name] represented community, that it represented what the next generation is going to remember; this is past, this is present, and this is future.” After the unveiling, she added in reference to Raymond Santmyers, “He passed away in 1976, and I was born in 1976. Again, passing the torch on to the next generation … being inclusive of what he represented, his heart, his soul, will live on in this youth center as we continue to carry this forward. And I am so humbled that I was chosen for such a time as this, to lead this for our kids and bring this to life.”