The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

'If you see a need, plant a seed' has become the driving force behind Dayton's Bulldog Brigade. Organizer Peggy Eakin was the speaker at the January 27 Dayton Kiwanis Club, and she is on a mission to gather volunteers for just about everything in Dayton.

Eakin started her presentation emphasizing community support, expressing her excitement to speak to club members who had once made it possible for her granddaughter to visit Washington D.C, take her first flight, and see the world outside of Eastern Washington.

Eakin, a former employee at Rainier Bank in Dayton, and her husband, Ray, moved back to the area in 2017 to be closer to their grandchildren. Upon her return, Eakin said she began attending Coalition for Youth and Families meetings, and it wasn't long before she started going to community forums at the Dayton School District. She was immediately concerned with the disconnect between the schools and the community.

"I wanted to fill that gap," Eakin said at the January 27 Dayton Kiwanis Club. "I came up with the Bulldog Brigade because I had a fire burning beneath me."

The first real spark was stoked during a non-school meeting. During a Coalition meeting, Eakin said she was heartbroken to listen to Sheriff Joe Helm tell the story of a middle-school-aged boy who would rather sit in the sheriff's office than go out and cause trouble or go home.

"He needed somewhere safe, where he could sit and talk to someone," Eakin said. "That about ripped my heart out."

Some of her personal life experiences were fueling her drive, too. She recalled when she and her husband welcomed a young family member into their home. Eakin said that their young houseguest didn't know how to drive, fill out a job application, and lacked some essential life skills, even though they were of age to have learned.

As she ventured out into the community with the idea of a volunteer-based organization, Eakin said she quickly learned that her family member was just one of many young adults who have not been taught the basic skills of adulthood. It was clear that many in the community could benefit from a group like the Bulldog Brigade.

She set up a booth at the 2021 Columbia County Fair, where she presented the idea for the organization and asked for volunteers to sign up for various tasks. The booth was very well received, and she walked away from the three-day event with two applicants.

"The kids also stopped by, and they would tell me what they needed," Eakin shared, mentioning that many of the kids who stopped by were in the middle school age range. "One little boy said he was willing to do litter patrol. It was encouraging that they would even stop and visit me."

Since setting up that booth, the Bulldog Brigade has grown to 91 members, and Eakin is always willing to take more. Eakin said they have set up a Facebook page, and they are sharing various volunteer opportunities, including coaching positions for local t-ball leagues, Eagles membership opportunities, and YoungLife needs.

Opportunities for classroom volunteers and sporting event referees are now on the group's Facebook page. An online Bulldog Brigade membership application can be found on their Facebook page posted on January 17, 2022. They are also available at Elk Drug Store in Dayton.

So far, the Bulldog Brigade is off to a wonderful start. Once struggling to find enough volunteers, shifts for the Upper Deck Dinners during sporting events are being filled. New members have joined as mentors and positively influence students while they are at school.

"We needed to have a group of people who are willing to come together as volunteers to fill any need," Eakin said. "We don't need to be a certain age, and it certainly won't cost you anything."

She said she would like to meet with all parts of the community, including the Chamber of Commerce, to see what is needed. Visit their Facebook page to become part of the Brigade.