George Foreman joins in drive for chapels in Louisiana prisons

THE DAILY NEWS

BATON ROUGE - Introduced as "the heavy weight for Jesus," former heavy weight boxing champion George Foreman was at the state capitol recently to help the Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation (LPCF) raise money. The event was a $125 a plate dinner hosted on the grounds of the governor's mansion by Gov. Mike Foster and his wife.

Foreman, Foster and others stressed the importance of having chapels as a base for the faith programs in the prisons. A video that John Hayes produced at no cost to the foundation stressed the amazing power of spiritual transformation and what God can do through one person.

The crowd was told that 38,000 men, women and children currently are incarcerated in Louisiana. The state has the second highest number of inmates per capita in the nation. Each year approximately 15,000 inmates are released back into society. Of those $15,000, 52 percent will return to prison.

Involvement in a faith-based program has proved to be the biggest single factor in reducing recidivism. Only 18 percent of those involved in faith programs return to prison after release, according to 3-year study done by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

Governor Foster stressed, "I think it is a noble cause, a right cause."

A silent auction was held in conjunction with the event. Various handmade items and artwork produced in the prisons' hobby programs were donated for auction. Warden James Miller said Washington Correctional Institute donated five paintings to the auction.

Warden Burl Cain of Angola presided over a pledge auction where people were asked to make pledges to the foundation general fund or to a specific prison, if they preferred. Foreman started the bidding with a pledge of $100,000.

After Foreman's bid Cain asked, "You're not going to let this guy come over here from Texas and show us up, are you?"

Foreman said, "All my folks are from Louisiana."

The next highest pledge was for $25,000. Cain pledged to give $2500. At least five other pledges for $2,500 were made. Numerous $1000 and $500 pledges were also made.

LPCF began its drive to build 20 chapels in 15 Louisiana penitentiaries eight years ago. So far five chapels have been completed and a sixth is under construction. Each chapel costs about $375,000 to build and the foundation does not begin construction until they have sufficient funds to complete the project. Once the chapels are built, the DOC assumes responsibility for their maintenance. Each chapel is built on land inside the prison with a 99-year lease.

"Right now, WCI is way down the list," said Chaplain Wayne Cook. "The more funds we can solicit, the better our chances are of moving up on the list. If we can raise local designated funds from churches and the business community, we will be able to move forward with construction of the chapel. All of the prisoners from WCI will someday be released into the community. Any spiritual foundation they receive in prison will help keep them from returning."

Since Cook became chaplain at WCI in April, 2002, about $8500 dollars have been given to the WCI chapel fund and another $5000 pledged. The prison with the most funds in its individual account will be the recipient of the next grant from the general fund. As general funds are raised, the money will be combined with local funds to build chapels.

B.J. Gravel, founder of Turn Around Village, serves as volunteer coordinator of WCI's efforts to raise designated funds. He and Chaplain Cook are urging area churches to help by pledging to give $1000 each to the fund during 2004; this is only $88 per month. If every church in Washington Parish would pledge $1,000, Cook believes WCI would have its chapel sometime in the next two years.

Currently WCI faith-based programs must compete with all other evening programs for space for worship services, Bible studies, discipleship classes, seminars, video presentations and other faith-based programs. Some programs cannot be scheduled for lack of space. Only the gym can house over 150 participants and it is often committed to recreation events.

Chaplain Cook also houses a donated religious library in his small office. Religious books are not permitted in the prison library. Many of the religion books are still in boxes because of limited shelf space. Cook's tiny office also serves as base for himself and three inmate chaplains. A chapel would solve all of these problems.

Any church, business or individual wishing to make a donation to the WCI chapel fund can contact Cook at 986-5055.