The Brightside: West Men Society

SALISBURY, Md. – Mentoring kids and giving them role models – that’s the goal of the West Men Society in Salisbury. While they do big things now, they started out small.

“Originally we were just four guys who wanted to make a difference in the community, and then we realized, we have to do more than that,” Eddie Morris, President of the group, said. He says the work of his group is simple. “We are a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage at-risk youth to become productive citizens and positive role models through vocation and the arts,” he said.

The group hosts events that benefit kids, including instrument giveaways, backpacks filled with school supplies, and more. But they say they also spend one-on-one time with the kids, helping them with school work, community service, and more. Anthony DaShiell is a leader in the group and says one way he connects with the kids is bringing his drum set to events and letting kids get a chance to play. He says that gets them talking and more involved in the group.

“We bring them in as far as letting them explore themselves, as opposed to making them sit there idly by and watch,” he said.

It’s all in an effort to make sure kids have a mentor they can rely on, one that can help them find their own voice.

“To exercise their power and their voice that they have, so we want to be able to empower them to be able to do that in the community,” Broderick Nutter, Acting Vice President of the group, said.

And when it comes to some tough topics like bullying, peer pressure, even heavy topics like gang violence, Eddie says he and the other leaders use their own experiences to really impact these kids.

“We all have a testimony and a story to share, and none of us want to see the young people travel a path that we have traveled,” he said.

Because while they may be the youth now, these kids will grow up one day and hopefully leave a legacy for future generations.

“We want to leave a legacy of giving, we want to leave a legacy of caring, and a legacy of love,” Broderick said.

If you want to learn more about the group or get involved, you can find them on Facebook, or visit their website.