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nP P y F a t h e r ’s
Single Fathers Are
Great Dads And
Make Great
Romantic Dates
Walter George III, Erie Beaeoatsand Don B. Walkei are among Black single
fathers who talk about how to successfully juggle parenthood and romance.
Walter George o f Atlanta says, “ Dating makes me feel like someone out
there wants me around.” Eric Becoats o f Baltimore, Maryland says his 3 year
old son Braxton is his top priority and he looks at his dates as friends. These
men make up 10% o f Black single parent households throughout the country.
They juggle the ballet recital and the happy hour, the birthday party and the
bachelor party, the Boy Scout troop and the out o f town weekend excursion
with a lady friend. “ It is possible to date, be a single father and have a great life,
but it has to be done cautiously, so that no one gets hurt,” says Don S. Walker
o f Dallas, Texas.
Jeffrey Mitchell o f Houston is also a romantic single father and says it took
him more than two years to start dating after the death ofhis wife. “It was a little
awkward to get back to that,” says Mitchell. “But after awhile you have to do
it for your own sanity.” Experts agree that dating and being a dad is a struggle
full o f compromises, but by prioritizing and planning dads are finding out they
can be a great date, a great parent, and produce a great child.
Workshops On Effective Fatherhood
Fatherhood beyond the stereotypes of deadbeat dads
FATHERHOOD USA, a two-part
documentary exploring fatherhood
beyond the stereotypes o f deadbeat
dads and Mr. Mons, airs on PBS this
month (check local listing). The first
program, “ Dedicated, Not Dead
beat,” loeks at fathers in Baltimore
and Boston who are finding commu
nity support in trying to be good
fathers. The second program, “Jug
gling Family and W ork,” focuses on
three men, in intact families, who
confront the daily dilemma o f being
a dad and handling the pressures o f a
workplace that isn’t always “father-
friendly.” The documentary is hosted
by former U.S. senator Bill Bradley.
Actor Yaphet Kotto narrates the first
program and actor John Shea nar
rates the second program.
* “ D edicated, Not D eadbeat”
Absent fathers, unmarried fathers,
deadbeat dads — negative depictions
o f fathers have becom e a media
staple. But what about men strug
gling to stay involved with their kids
despite a legacy o f fatherlessness,
poverty or incarceration? What does
it take to keep men connected to their
families? This program looks be
yond the stereotypes at what happens
when men in fragile families find an
environment that support their im
portance as fathers.
* If a father is unmarried and pro
vides little financial support to his
young son and daughter, can he still
be a good family man? Paul Hope,
21, an unemployed father o f two,
seems poised to repeat the legacy o f
fatherlessness in which he grew up.
Convicted o f assault fora street fight,
he may be sent to jail. He joins Bal
timore M en’s Services, part o f a lo
cal Healthy Start Program, starts a
job in a federally funded housing/
work program, and isdetermined not
to be an absent father.
* Jeremy Stevens, 28, has five
children, is unemployed, and has a
criminal history. He seems likely to
repeat the domestic abuse with which
he grew up. Arrested for hitting his
girlfriend, Vicki, he nearly lands in
jail. But a judge orders him to join a
program that aims to break the cycle
o f violence and train him to become
the father he him self never had.
* “Juggling Family and Work"
This program looks at men from
across the country as they confront
the daily dilemma ofbeing a working
dad. It deals with one o f the most
important business issues o f the fu
ture: creating a family-friendly work
place for mothers and fathers.
* Shortly after a massive heart
attack, Bart M orrison, 44, was
downsized from his executive job.
When Bart is home, unemployed, he
takes responsibility for the care o f
his two small children while his wife
works, and he unexpectedly discov
ers the importance o f his role as a
father.
* Don Hicks is a factory w orker on
a rotating shift, with a schedule typi
cal o f hundreds o f thousands o f line
workers today. Don and his wife
Karen are on the verge o f a divorce
that will only further distance him
from his two teenage daughters. IIt-
works to turn his life and marriage
around, joins a fathering group and
learns to take on his share o f house
hold responsibilities.
* A1 F ran co , 35, w orks for the
Los A n g eles D epartm ent o f W a
ter and Pow er, one o f the n a tio n ’s
best co m p a n ie s for w o rk in g fa
thers. A1 and his w ife S andra are
ju g g lin g w ork and c a rin g for
th ree p re sc h o o l ch ild re n when
th e ir old est girl com es dow n with
w hat m ay be a serio u s d isease.
Al co n sta n tly leaves w ork to care
fo r her and his c o -w o rk e rs give
him a h a rd tim e fo r “ b e in g
m o m m y ,” b u t th e c o m p a n y ’s
co m m itm en t to su p p o rtin g dads
h elp s him through this c ritical
Study V o lu n t e e r s N eeded
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
period.
How can men play a more active
role in their children's lives? What
can community agencies do to sup
port the involvement ofdads—regard
less o f their marital status’’ What can
employers do to help fathers balance-
work and family life—for the benefit
o f families and the bottom line?
The four workshops cover I ) the
Importance o f Fathers, 2) Father-
Mother Communication, 3) Juggling
Work and Family and 4) Fathers and
Social Support. Contact your local
PBS station outreach or Ready to
Learn department to find out if they
are participating in this project. I f no,
copies o f the two one-hour videos
and workshop kits can be purchased
by contacting Media Library at 800
343-5540.
For further information on PBS
Outreach, contact Pat Dressier, SC
ETV , I 800 2 7 7 -0 8 2 9 , em ail
dressler(fl scetv.org or fax 803 737-
3544.
African American volunteers are needed fo r a 30 week hypertension research
medication study. If you are 18 years or older with high blood pressure and in general
good health, you may qualify. Volunteers w ill be thoroughly screened by the
research team and their private physicians consulted. Study medication,
study-related clinic visits and testing will be provided at no charge for these who
qualify. Reimbursement for travel will be given. For information call 228-3217,
Mon.-Thur. 9 to 4. F r i.- 9 to 1 .
Clinical R e s e a r c h G roup o f Oregon
1221 S.W . Y a m h ill, S u ite 3 0 3
P o r tla n d , O r e g o n 9 7 2 0 5
H appy F ather ’ s D ay !
Pork
Spareribs
SAFEWAY
FOOD & DRUG
10-lb. box, $9.90 ea.
Look For Your
SAVE up to $1.00 lb.
Safeway Weekly
Shopping Guide
Valu Pack o f
3 or more sides, $1.29 lb.
Smaller Packages, $1.49 lb.
In Your Oregonian FOODday
in the Portland Metro Area
...andsave more shopping
at Safeway
Boneless Beef
London Broil
Enjoy Extra Savings
With The
SAFEWAY EXTRA
In-Store
Savings Guide
Available al your Safeway store.
Visit Safeway s Web site at
w w w .safew ay.co m
Top Round.
SAVE up to $1.50 lb.
ITS WHAT YOU WANT”
Y 1 r /' '77
• #
rthwest
eet Cherries
SAVE up to $2.00 lb.
PRICES EFFECTIVE
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