It’s an important day for some young people in Bradenton at Replay Outreach.

  • Replay Outreach is a program helping to mentor at risk youths
  • Job training program underway
  • Larry Rose began the non-profit program

Their eight week job-training program is all, but done and now rehearsal interviews are underway.  It’s the last step before the real thing.

For kids attending Replay Outreach, the organization could literally save their lives. 

President and founder Larry Rose began the non-profit program after he paid a trip to a juvenile detention facility.

“I had a preconceived idea about these kids that were locked up,” Rose said.  “They were trouble. That’s where they needed to be. And when I went in there my world was kind of shaken a little bit. I realized these are just kids.”

For Rose that visit had a profound effect.

“It was kind of then that my heart was touched and I said we need to start something. We need to just go into the facilities and reach out to these kids,” Rose said.

Replay’s mantra is:  “The old life is gone. A new life has begun.”

Activities and training for boys 14 to 18 years of age includes field trips and is about to be expanded for young girls as well.

Job training is extremely important and is there because of a question posed by Rose.

“When I asked the kids, ‘What could help you when you get on the outside?’, they said, ‘If you could help us get jobs,’” Rose said.

“Many of these kids will end up in a life in prison and I guess I’m crazy enough to believe that we can make a difference one youth at a time,” Rose said.

A financial advisor by profession, Rose was asked why he pours far more time into this than into his full-time paying job.

“I could pour more into making money but … but that’s not going to last,” Rose said.  “I want something that’s going to last.”