Friday, January 25, 2008
Stopping the Violence is seeking volunteers to
entertain at the event.
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
Stop the violence.
Patricia Owens has been delivering that message for years.
In light of Wednesday’s horrific arson on the East Side that took six lives, she hopes more people will hear her words.
The Youngstown woman is the president of the Stopping the Violence committee, a local group that targets youth. The committee is best known for its block parties, which include entertainment by local acts.
To help the family of the fire victims, the committee is planning a fundraiser. Owens is asking interested entertainers and community agencies who would like to be a part of it to call her toll-free at (877) 701-2024. She can also be reached at stoppingtheviolence@yahoo.com.
Owens is a musical poet who recorded a song called “Stopping the Violence” several years ago. She wrote the lyrics, with the music penned by Keith Logan Jr. of Youngstown. Pauline Lucky of Youngstown sings back-up vocals.
“Mothers are crying, not doing any good, still so much dying right here in the ’hood,” goes one line.
Owens recently had the song re-recorded with the help of Greg Johnson of the Total Package Band. Local gospel radio station WGFT-AM 1330 will play the song, she said.
Owens said she hopes the arson tragedy awakens the community to her anti-violence message. “It’s a shame, but it takes something like this to get people interested in doing something,” she said.