SUMMERDALE, Ala. — Curt Williams and Billey Berrey had a dream six years ago that would save the lives of many boys in Baldwin County. On Dec. 11, that dream opened its doors to four of those men.

Youth Reach — a Christian ministry program that operates residential group homes for troubled boys ages 12 to 21 — opened the stage one home Thursday; a feat many weren’t sure would ever be completed.

“This morning before I got in my car to come out here, I looked at a picture of a young man from Gulf Shores who was murdered trying to buy cocaine in Mobile,” Gulf Shores Juvenile Officer Billy Berrey said. “We didn’t have a youth reach to send him to then, and I remember meeting with his parents and talking with them. I started talking with Curt and I said we cant keep letting this happen.”

Youth Reach began in 1984 in Houston, and for the past four years 60 percent of the beds were occupied by boys from Mobile and Baldwin counties. The new facilities follow the lead of the homes set up in Houston.

“I can name six boys off the top of my head that I know would be in prison today or dead if we had not been able to send them to Houston to go through the program,” Berrey said.

Determined to open a site in Baldwin County, Berrey drove the more than 500 miles to Houston to take a look at Youth Reach. Upon his return, the idea of a local facility was solidified in his mind.

“The question was, what do we do next?” he said. “It was an impossible thing. We didn’t know where the money would come from or how we would get it all together.”

Pastors from around Baldwin County rallied, along with Executive Director Curt Williams, to find the funds and assistance to bring the plans to fruition, a point Williams was careful to share with the new residents.

“These pastors got involved in a dream,” he said. “Ain’t nothing harder to finance than a dream. The ones that have said we are gonna step out there when there’s nothing going on and we’re gonna invest, it’s tremendous. These people here have been investing in you long before you knew it, long before you knew you were going to be sleeping in that bed in there. These people here represent the people who said you’re worth this. So make the best of it.”

Both Berrey and Williams have seen the difference the program makes in not just the residents, but others as well.

“We’re gonna be changing not just a life, but generations to come,” Berrey said. “I just want to thank the people of Baldwin County for stepping up. Thank you for the money, the time and the effort.”

Circuit Judge Carmen Bosch, who has referred many boys to the program in Houston was present at the cutting, along with other judges.

“I was in the meeting when they discussed this,” she said. “I thought good luck fellas. It’s fabulous, but good luck with that; it’s castles in the sky. But, its real nice to be a castle in the sky its a darn good one.”

The next phases include building a stage three home and cafeteria so more boys can join the program. Future plans also call for a similar program for girls.

“When I’m in Houston, I brag on this community,” Berrey said. “Young men are going down this road toward destruction and youth reach is that road block or that barrier. You come up to that barrier, and that young man can say this is a great time to stop and reconsider what I’m doing and stop and go in the other direction. Or, he can go over it.”

For more information visit www.youth-reach.org.