Many of the young people in the Cecil Andrews College police rangers program have been through tough times, but unit leader Ben Boekholt says a bit of patience makes all the difference.
Mr Boekholt’s 20 years of dedication to young people was recognised at an awarding ceremony held last week.
“I felt very special – I even got a little shake in my body,” he said.
“When I started talking, I had 15 of the cadets standing there while I was standing at the front.
“I told everyone who was looking at me, ‘can you please turn around because this (the cadets) is who we’re doing it for’.
“I’m not saying they’re all being saved but we can make the kids happy again.”
As someone previously described as a man with many hats by the Examiner, Mr Boekholt had the credentials to make for a fit unit leader.
Awarded citizen of the year in 2017, he has volunteered for the Armadale Lions Club, Foodbank, Neighbourhood Watch and Armadale Rotary – to name a few.
“With charity work, I know it doesn’t pay the bills but you’re making people happy and that’s good enough for me,” Mr Boekholt told the Examiner.
“If you can do just one or two hours a week, you’ll make a lot of people happy.”
Young people learn policing, survival training, camp etiquette, leadership skills as well as personal development through police rangers’ programs across the state.
But above all, Mr Boekholt said learning how to give back to the community was the most important lesson.
“I always like to do a lot of community stuff so the kids learn to work for the community,” he said.
“It’s not always about fun.”
Mr Boekholt said seeing the growth of the kids throughout the years was the most rewarding part of volunteering at the college.
“The change in the kids who came as 12-year-olds who were very shy and not talking at all to little chatterboxes after four or five years and are now teaching other kids,” he said.
“That feels so good.”
Mr Boekholt praised the program and the impact it’s had on young people.
“Please don’t forget us because you can see the difference in the kids,” he said.
“What the community, the ministers and the community need to know is that it is a good program and we can’t stop it.”
