Garry Garber; An Appeal for a Hometown Hero

Featured Garry Garber; An Appeal for a Hometown Hero

            I'm saddened to say that a long time hero, ex-supervisor and pioneer in DC's Latino community is in desperate need of our assistance. Most of us who have been in DC over the years and benefited from his work need to step up and help him out as he helped out our youngsters and teenagers during the 70's, 80's & 90's.

            Garry Garber, ex-youth worker in our community, needs to be interned in an assisted living facility due to his advanced age and declining health. His family is having difficulties with the initial financing of this move. All of us who came through the Latin American Youth Center and the Roving Leader program remember Mr. Garber for his caring efforts on behalf of the youth of our community. He knew the street and helped many of our young folks turn away from drugs and delinquency. He'd been a champion bantamweight boxer and used his skills and knowledge of the gritty underworld to save hundreds of our kids from drugs, violence and jail.
            Mr. Garber's family need to come up with $5K as soon as possible to move forward with their plans to provide a safe, comfortable environment for Mr. Garber to live out the rest of his life. They've set up a Go Fund Me page (gf.me/u/hjqgrt). I contributed $200 and committed myself to help raise the rest. I urge every one of you who was ever touched by Garry Garber to go to the GFM page and contribute as much as you can. I'm asking Arturito Griffiths, long time colleague who worked with Mr. Garber over the years, and Antonio Montes from his Latinos in the 70's Facebook page to join me.
            In the early 70's and 80's Garry Garber impacted a great many pre-teen and teenage Latinos. He visited homes, intervened with teachers, recommended counseling and coordinated with probation and parole officers, provided outings for kids to experience new places and environments and much more. His compact, energetic boxer's build and energy was a constant around Adams Morgan, Mt. Pleasant and Columbia Heights. I know many of you first hand who owe Mr. Garber a debt of gratitude and have given a shout out on Facebook and will now attempt to find those of you who grew up in these neighborhoods and recognize the dedication and value of Mr. Garber's life work.. I will be reaching out to Lori Kaplan and the Latin American Youth Center that Mr. Garber helped create, for help and to every one of you who knew Mr. Garber and cherish that memory. Now is the time to remember what he meant to us and pay it forward.

Last modified onFriday, 30 March 2018 20:56

Leave a comment

Banner 468 x 60 px