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A place to lay their heads

Juvenile court program helping youth in need

A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP — Staff at the Jefferson County Juvenile Court, with help from teens in the summer youth program, built eight beds to be given to needy children. Judge Joseph Corabi said the court received monetary and material donations for the beds from area businesses, including Ferguson’s House of Furniture, which donated the mattresses and bedding. Shown with two of the beds are, from left, Fred Abdalla Jr., chief probation officer; Joseph Colabella, court administrator; Corabi; Bobby Ferguson of Ferguson’s House of Furniture; Sean Tucker, probation officer; and court Magistrate Frank Noble Jr. -- Mark Law

STEUBENVILLE — Jefferson County Juvenile Judge Joseph Corabi said he heard the reports time and again from probation officers about children living in deplorable conditions and sleeping on either the floor or couch.

So he decided to put the matter to rest — literally — so some children will get a better night of sleep.

He met with court Magistrate Frank Noble Jr.; Fred Abdalla Jr., chief probation officer; and Joseph Colabella, court administrator, and they came up with the idea of having court staff and teens in the summer youth program construct beds and give them to needy children.

“A bed is not an easy thing to build. You need materials, and you need someone to build them right. It takes time,” Corabi said.

Sean Tucker, a probation officer, spent hours working with the summer youth program teens on constructing the beds.

Bill DeNoon of DeNoon Lumber donated the wood. Eight beds were built.

“OK. We have the beds, but no mattresses,” Corabi said.

Bobby Ferguson of Ferguson’s House of Furniture stepped forward and donated the mattresses and bedding. Martin and Paula Phillips of Wintersville donated $500 to purchase pillows, comforters and bedding.

Abdalla said he and other probation officers go into homes of children on probation and see they have no place to sleep, and have to spend the night on the floor or a couch. A 16-year-old girl recently reached out to a school liaison officer and said she was pregnant, but didn’t have a bed. Abdalla said the girl will be the one of the first to get a bed.

Tucker said the kids in the summer youth program learned some life skills while building the beds. He said the children in the summer youth program come from broken homes and have no guidance. Tucker said the children learned how to use a tape measure and cut wood.

“It was a total team effort. It showed the kids how important they are to juvenile court. It builds a better relationship with the kids. They then feel more comfortable in discussing things with us. It also may be a seed to get the kids involved in a construction job,” Tucker said.

Colabella said the court gets state and federal funding, and one of the requirements is to show the young people are being taught life skills.

Corabi said so many good things have come out of the bed project.

“It benefits underprivileged kids. There is a misconception about kids on probation. They are not delinquent. They just have no guidance. They run the streets and miss school. They are not as fortunate as other kids,” the judge said.

Corabi said the children who helped build the beds were helping other kids who also are not as fortunate. He said he is considering continuing on with the project and building more beds.

“The need is huge. I have a feeling, when the story hits, the beds will be gone,” Abdalla said.

Ferguson said, “I’m happy to be a part of the project and to donate and help out.”

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