LIMA — Robert Hatcher Jr. said it didn’t seem that long ago when he was going the opposite direction than he is now.
“I never imagined I would be anywhere, standing in front of a podium, speaking to an audience,” Hatcher said.
Hatcher was the recipient of the 2013 role model of the year award at the ninth annual Lima 6th Ward Community Action Plan Awards and Thanksgiving Dinner held at the Lima Towers Apartments on Sunday. He spoke of a long road.
At the age of 14, and heading nowhere but trouble, Hatcher said he decided to turn his life around.
Hatcher was a ward of the state as a youth through his teenage years. He decided early on after being placed in foster care and eventually ending up in the Allen Acres Children’s Home that he was going to have a positive outcome on his life.
Hatcher said four house parents, Derry Glenn, Tracy James, Bruce Gardner and Tracy Wright, all encouraged him to not to become another statistic. Hatcher now operates 14 businesses under DOC 14 Enterprises, and has made it his mission to help others reach positive outcomes. Hatcher recently put together Coats 4 Kids, which will give coats to less fortunate children at the Lima Fire Department on Dec. 5. He is also putting together a drive to help at least 100 children get a new set of clothes to return to school in after the holiday break.
“I remember I never went to school on Jan. 4 or Jan. 5,” Hatcher said. “I can remember one year not having a place to live and sleeping under the doorway at Frito-Lay. I always made it to school on time, I always got my homework done, but I was afraid to go to school because I didn’t have nice new clothes to wear.”
In addition, Leandra Johnson was named 6th Ward Man of the Year and residents Denise James, Judy Bivens, Willia Knight and Earl Gunsby were given the Good Neighbor Award.
Glenn, who arranges the annual presentation and dinner, said he likes to host the event because it is a chance to honor people who put in volunteerism when they may not be honored otherwise.
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