I am a local parent with kids in their late teens. I have found that many of their friends are kids with families who have given up on them. I call them “tweener,” ages of 15-20.

I wish people would take notice and find ways to help these kids. They wander the streets and sleep from house to house to get by. Over the years, we have taken many of these kids into our home.

The stories we have been told start from abandonment to abuse. Now they are out on their own following a path of alcohol and drug abuse. Just ask the local police department about this issue.

This Christmas, I drove around town to notice kids wandering the local QFC or camped out near the fireplace in their little lunch area. Also, another hangout is the picnic area near the new Logging Memorial.

We moved to Enumclaw years ago because of its close-knit community and friendly neighbors. How can we just watch these kids fade away into a life of the unknown?

The local youth center has kids that stay all day because they have nowhere else to go. Once they close, you see these same kids group up and head for the next hangout. I give the youth center workers a lot of credit for what they do and put up with.

Many of the C-store and grocery stores see these kids as thieves. They are more often just trying to fill their stomach. Stealing is wrong and can not be excused. Many of these kids have criminal records from stealing, drugs, alcohol, etc.

The kids we have taken in have never finished school and are almost unemployable. How do we help the kids of Enumclaw? I always hear about other countries looking for handouts. Why don’t we help the ones that might want help! Shoot, we have paid for GED classes, clothing and Christmas presents, trying to do our part.

Next time you are out in town look for the lost kids of Enumclaw. The numbers keep growing and also the police blotter in this very paper keeps growing. Many of the stories are about break-ins and theft.

How do we address these problems? I challenge you to get involved.

R. Blair

Enumclaw