INKSTER, Mich. (WXYZ) — Get A Life Services, a nonprofit organization based in Inkster, is currently hosting its sixth annual Boys2Men free life skills summer camp.

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Dr. Leon Crawford is pastor of Citi Praise Church in Inkster. He is also CEO of Get A Life Services. He and the First Lady, Rev. Priscilla Crawford, say preaching is nice, but they want to make a difference.

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“Join the community, roll up your sleeves and meet people in personsaid Leon. “Singing and shouting from the pulpit is good. It is effective. But people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care about the cause.”

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“I don’t feel so tired,” Priscilla said. “As you know, it takes energy. It takes resources.” It takes that driving force, I don’t want to give up. I won’t give up.”

Every Sunday in August, over 120 young men and women ages 9 to 18 learn important life skills such as car maintenance, tying a tie, dating etiquette and carpentry.

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“These are your jumper cables. OK?” Chris Cohen said, instructing him. “You have red and black. OK. Red means plus. Black means minus.”

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“First you have to straighten it, then you cross it,” said camper Caleb Cummings of what he learned about tying a tie. “Put the big tie on and then put the big one so it goes over the top, then take the big one and put it under.”

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“It’s good for me because I want to know how to treat a woman and make her feel respected,” says X’zavier Crawford about what he learned about dating etiquette.

“It’s a good feeling to know that people care about you and that they want you to learn and grow and that they want you to learn things you don’t know.” Said Caleb.

Campers come not only from the Detroit metropolitan area; some even come from out of state. Octavia Richardson brought her son Adrian all the way from Roanoke, Virginia.

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“It really makes me feel good. And it makes me feel safe to bring my son here and know that he’s not going to sit around doing nothing,” Octavia said. “He can do some things while he’s here.”

And when the camp organizers hear about the success stories, they certainly feel good.

“When that parent comes back and can say it helped my child, it gives me a sense of peace,” Priscilla said.

“My son did well in the program,” Leon said. “And now he’s serving our country. Right now he’s in the Navy. Thank you very much. And when I hear these stories and see these kids, I see them relax, man, it’s like, ‘Wow!'”

Camp ends on Sunday, August 25. Participants will celebrate the completion of the program with a pool party with pizza and drinks. They will also attend a graduation ceremony where they will receive a certificate and a brand new shirt and tie.

Where your voice counts