CHERAW - The Pathfinders United in Cheraw met with the representatives of Robert Smalls Family Center and the Chesterfield-Marlboro EOC on Friday to form a mentoring collaboration with Adult Education and Family Literacy.

Located at 317 Front St., Pathfinders United has been making a difference in the lives of young men within the community since 2007, according to founder and Cheraw Councilman, John K. Melton. CMEOC Executive Director, Samuel D. Bass, said, "We have parallel missions, which is working with youth to develop leadership skills." Chesterfield County Executive Director of Adult Education/Family Literacy, Freida Ellerbe, said that the Robert Smalls Family Center facility would be available to the group to utilize, as their needs grow for their ongoing programs. "Helping youth also means helping adults," said Ellerbe.

"Working with these agencies will help us by allowing us to start our programs much sooner. It will also help us to grow because of the additional space that we will have access to through this mentoring partnership," said Pathfinders United founder, John K. Melton.

Bass said, "It's great that we're all three are located in this same cluster because we can share resources."

"Our goal is to be like a Super Wal-Mart for education and learning," added Ellerbe. There are so many things that we can offer to compliment the Pathfinders plan," said Ellerbe.

According to Melton, some of the joint programs the group is planning includes projects that will teach youth how to give back to the community, such as service-learning projects. "Our first plan is to hold a day of fundraisers on Oct. 17 during the Jazz Festival, which will include a barbeque pork and chicken plate sale during the morning hours. Plates will be $5 each,” Melton said. He concluded, "This mentoring collaboration with the Chesterfield-Marlboro EOC will be good for everyone." Bass said, "It's great that we all three agencies are located in this same cluster within walking distance of each other, because we can share resources." "There are so many things that we can offer to compliment the Pathfinders plan," said Ellerbe. Melton concluded, “This mentoring collaboration with the Chesterfield-Marlboro EOC, will be good for everyone.”