David
Stone’s compassion for orphaned,
abandoned and neglected children
around the world can be seen not
only through his own eyes but
through the eye of his camera.
In a
presentation to members of the
Kyrene Corridor Rotary Club on Jan.
15, Stone told of odysseys to such
places as Costa Rica and Vietnam,
where as a photo-journalist he
learned of—and photographed—the
warehousing of children whose
parents aren’t now, nor ever have
been, available to provide love,
warmth or care.
What he found
instead of parents, said Stone, was
“children taking care of
children”—boys and girls filling a
void in the lives of those with whom
they share their day-to-day
existence.
In a compelling
photo journal, Stone displayed
pictures of children at play, at
work and at moments of reflection.
Some of the
insight he gained during the trips,
Stone said, energized his interest
in helping young people in this
country; he recently began teaching
photography to students at Skyline
Technical High School in Ahwatukee,
a haven for young people with
marginal backgrounds and limited
abilities.
The results of
his students’ newfound knowledge
have helped some blossom into
budding photographers, according to
Stone, and many of those already
have taken on assignments and
produced displays of their work.
Among the
benefactors of Stone’s teachings:
“Kids on
parole, 15- and 16-year-olds who
already have kids themselves,” he
said. “It’s been quite an
experience—not only for the students
but for me.”
Barb Feder,
a past district governor in Rotary
who was a driving force behind the
local chapter’s formation five years
ago, said Stone’s involvement with
the students might inspire the club
to take on an additional support
role.
Citing another
club’s highly successful mentoring
program with at-risk teens, Feder
said the Kyrene Corridor club’s
members might consider a
collaborative effort that would help
to “catch the kids before they drop
out.”
“There’s a lot
of potential for Rotary involvement
at many levels,” she said.
The club meets
at noon Mondays at
Information:
(480) 966-0837.
