Mike Hurst

Scales group bonds fathers and their kids
By KERRI BARTLETT
For Brentwood Home Page
On the first Friday of each month, dads with children in tow gather in the Scales Elementary School cafeteria to talk and spend quality time together over a breakfast of eggs, bacon, biscuits and even fresh kiwi as part of the Scales All Pro Dads Chapter morning meeting.

Anza, dad Bob, and Josie Sellers. The twin sisters are 8 years old and in second grade.

Dad Greg Blandford, middle with daughters Taylor, 6, Reid, 8, and their friends Ava, 6, and Ella, 10, Hunter

Danny, 8, dad Steve and Fallon, 6, McGrory

Brad and Noah Vroon

All Pro Dads is a program of Family First, which "helps equip men to become better fathers." It originally started in 1997 with the help of former NFL coach Tony Dungy. On the special Fridays, dads and children gather for a family friendly lesson and to hear a speaker.

The Oct. 28 gathering started off with the dads and children discussing the statement, “I am thankful for you because …”

About her dad Greg, second grader Reid Blandford said, “I am thankful for my dad just being him.” Greg was joined at the breakfast by his other daughter Taylor, a first grader, and friends Ella Hunter, a fourth grader, and Ava Hunter, a kindergarten student.

Dads could be seen encouraging their children, telling them how proud they were of them, opening conversations with their children and conversing with their children’s friends and other dads.

“They get excited about the breakfast and seeing their friends here. They always remind me when it’s coming up,” said Bob Sellers, who attended with his twin daughters, second-graders Anza and Josie, 8.

When asked what her favorite thing was about the breakfast, Anza said, “I get to eat breakfast with my dad.”

Founder of the Scales chapter, Richard Hunter, got the idea to start the All Pro Dads three years ago after he received an e-mail from the organization encouraging dads to start local groups.

The chapter went through about a year laying the groundwork for the organization including going through the legal process of forming the chapter as a nonprofit agency under 503b. One Scales dad received a grant from his workplace and another dad, an attorney, helped with the paperwork. 

“We discuss a wide range of family topics, spend time together, create fun memories, and equip ourselves with resources to strengthen our relationships,” Hunter said of the group’s purpose.

At the recent chapter meeting, cafeteria tables were filled with about 60 dads and about 90 children.

Scales Principal Rick West has been a big supporter of the group.

“I love seeing so many dads in the building. It’s wonderful to see them taking part in their child’s life and their school life,” West said.

“The whole school has benefitted from the group. They have been very helpful when something needs to be done around the school. We had a clothing drive, and they helped to deliver bags of clothes and shoes to our partner school Warner Elementary. Also, we had a workday this summer for campus beautification in which 30 to 40 dads came out to work, bringing power machines such as weed eaters and lawn mowers to help out.”

Guest speaker on this day was Tom Henry of the Grassland area and founder of Feed America First. With Thanksgiving approaching, Henry spoke about those in need of food this season and about opportunities to volunteer.

“It’s important to think about those who don’t have advantages. Part of being thankful is listening to other’s perspectives. The solution to hunger is neighbors helping neighbors. Nashville has poverty just like any other community,” Henry shared.

Feed America First has provided 30 million pounds of food since its commencement in 2000 and impacts 20,000 people a month in small town and rural Mid-South. Feed America First is based in Franklin with a distribution center in Murfreesboro. Henry shared statistics about the community’s needs.

One in five children go to school hungry each day, and when hungry children don’t learn at the same rate as others. Henry also shared that even though Williamson County is one of the wealthiest counties in Tennessee, there are hundreds of families who are hungry and struggling. Many times, expenses such as medicine or paying bills hold precedence over buying food among families who are struggling, Henry said. To help families in need, Scales will hold a food drive throughout the month of November.

Henry also invited the group to take part in a volunteer opportunity at Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Franklin, Nov. 19, at 8 a.m. sorting boxes of food for the needy for the holiday season.

Third grade student, Danny McGrory, 8, said that he would like to help out at the church for his birthday, the date on which the opportunity falls. Danny attended the breakfast with his father Steve and younger sister Fallon, 6, a first-grade student. The McGrory family moved to Brentwood from New Jersey in July. Dad Steve said, “The breakfast provides a wonderful opportunity to spend time with your children and to meet other dads. We really enjoy it.”

Mike Hurst, “assistant coach” of the group, led the recent meeting.

“The goal is to strengthen families, to be available and to be better fathers. Making time for breakfast and getting to know your child and their friends can make a difference,” Hurst said. He also shared that statistics show that children are less likely to be involved in risky behavior and are more successful when their dad is involved in their lives.

Hurst has three daughters, Mary-Everett, 9, a fourth grader, Caroline, 6, a first grader, and Annie, 2.

When a raffle drawing was announced at the end of the meeting, a few cheers erupted from the crowd. Then, the audience listened with excitement as the grand-prize winner was read aloud. The lucky winner of a pair of tickets to a Predators game was third grade student Noah Vroon, 8.

Who bets that he plans on taking his father, Brad?