Town of Princeville
Princeville, North Carolina

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 5, 1999

BUFFALOES TO COME TO PRINCEVILLE

PRINCEVILLE, NC – A platoon of "Buffalo" is coming to the aid of Princeville. On November 11th, 32 youth and 12 staff from VisionQuest Buffalo Soldier Re-Enactors are coming to Princeville from South Mountain, Pennsylvania to help as part of a community service project. The Buffalo Soldiers will help with cleanup, the inventorying and distribution of donated goods, and other issues as needed. The group will be housed at the National Guard Armory in Tarboro for the duration of their stay.

Youth are referred to VisionQuest by county or state government staff in corrections, probation, mental health, and child welfare. The name VisionQuest was borrowed from the Plains Indians and reflects the philosophy of the program. During a vision quest, Native American adolescents were sent into the wilderness to overcome challenges and discover a view of their futures. VisionQuest programs seek to give adjudicated youth this same opportunity to succeed in challenges, see a new future for themselves and give them skills to accomplish their goals and reach their highest potential. Other key components of the VisionQuest approach include the emphasis on staff's role as parents rather than counselors; the use of rigorous outdoor activity, living history and historical re-enactment that connect youth to their heritage and culture; and the blending of military influences with treatment and education.

A representative of VisionQuest will be at the November 8^th Princeville Board of Commissioners meeting to meet with officials and answer questions.

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