family court of st. louis county
To hear all family-related court matters arising within the state’s larger circuits and to provide support services for youth and families coming to the attention of the court, including counseling, probationary services, parent award winner education classes and restitution programs
meet volunteer don roth of creve coeur
How long have you been a volunteer?
25 years
What interested you in this particular cause?
Back in 1992, I was looking for some volunteer opportunities. I read a column about a potential program that would allow lay people to interact with the incarcerated kids at the Detention Center of the St. Louis Family Court. When I made an appointment with the director, nothing had been set up yet. I followed up a couple months later, and he offered to take me on a tour, and that’s when it began. The idea was to have someone share their life experiences with these kids whenever they could. So I started going in the evenings, and I felt like I was maybe making an impact on them. Their offenses cover a full range, including drug charges, sexual advances and burglary. They are used to adults berating them. I never talk down to them. The reason I’ve done this for so many years is that I really do care. These kids want someone who will listen to them. It’s been an integral part of my life.
What kind of volunteer work are you involved in?
I go every Saturday afternoon to talk to the group there, usually about 15 to 25. I talk about what my expectations are of them and try to inject some humor into my discussions. A lot of my talks have been in conjunction with the Humane Society of Missouri because dog fighting is really big in their communities, so I wanted to address that. I brought in a dog, Cody, for a number of years, and the kids loved him. And they also love basketball, so a few years ago, I called the Billikens coach to see if the team would visit. They came one Saturday morning to have basketball practice with the 26 kids there at the time and interact with them. It was such a productive activity, I contacted the NCAA with the intention of getting other schools across the country to do a similar program. The organization ended up publishing an article about my involvement and SLU’s participation.
If you could do anything for the organization, what would it be?
I would want more exposure to motivate people across the country to approach their own family court to do something unique and interesting on behalf of these young people. If individuals in other communities across the country could see the advantage of getting involved and sharing their experiences with these kids, it would be wonderful! I’ve learned so much.
in the words of the family court
“Don Roth genuinely cares about the welfare of court-involved youth at the Detention Center. When the youth ask him why he keeps returning, he always replies, ‘because I care.’ He is compassionate and is always seeking ways to improve and impact their lives. He has given countless hours, time and energy to this cause and consequently, he will be honored by the court in April for his 25 years of service.”
our wish list
» Volunteers to tutor detained youth
» Volunteers to teach kids how to play musical instruments
Photo: Colin Miller of Strauss Peyton Photography
