THE BIGGEST MOB HIT IN YEARS

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Allen Thomas If you know Atlantic City native Allen Thomas as an entertainment consultant, then you only know half of his story. Though Thomas’s work in entertainment spans across companies such as Platinum Productions out of Philadelphia, the Advancing Families Foundation, Marty Small Entertainment, Kelsey’s Restaurant, and The Professional Football Players Mother’s Association (representing primarily Mothers of the NFL), Thomas is equally involved in his work as a youth advocate. Thomas has been a youth advocate for Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. for the past fifteen years. Four months ago, Thomas became an executive in the organization as the Atlantic County Program Coordinator, promoted from his most recent position of Senior Case Manager. He also serves as an appointed member of the Atlantic County Youth Service Commission, where he is the Co-Chair for the Minority Issues Sub-Committee. Working with youth isn’t just a job for Thomas—it’s part of who he is. Thomas tells people, “Your community is as safe as you make it,” as he advocates for people to become volunteers. “At some point, you just need volunteers to come play checkers or get the kids there. Just get involved...you have to get your feet in the water. Your level of confidence will determine how deep you want to go. Just show up. Be a presence. Like to crochet? Start a crochet club. Build a volunteer group based on what you like. Don’t get discouraged by numbers. Changing 1 person can lead to changing 100.” Thomas is well aware that some volunteers suffer from burnout and their own expectations, saying, “They (the youth) are not always going to champion you right away. They might even take things from you without asking or say things to you and around you that may sound very offensive. These are young people who often times have issues. (But) if you stick around long enough, you will wear off on them. You have to be willing to wait them out...watch and see the type of impact you will have on them in the near and distant future.” It wasn’t Thomas’s intent to work with troubled youth—he planned to become a business owner, which he did by the young age of 19. However, even his work in the business world, as the owner of Do the Right Thing Entertainment, involved youth. “We did media programs...Teen Focus...a teen talk show on Comcast,” Thomas shared. He was also behind Today’s Music Digest on TV40. It seemed that whatever he did, youth were involved. So it wasn’t such a stretch for Thomas to begin working as an advocate. It started with youth work like coaching football and basketball, but grew to include the cleaning up of the Boys and Girls Club near Stanley Home Village, which at the time had lost its ability to be a safe haven to local youth. Thomas helped clean it up. That was the beginning. Allen Thomas “It was familiar,” Thomas said of working with this youth population, adding, “I grew up in difficult times...had an interesting childhood in a housing development. I had lost friends just from being in the wrong space at the wrong time.” Thomas, a father of six, is deeply involved in the lives of the youth he works with, saying, “The young people’s perception is survival. And they’re surviving the best they know how. Unfortunately, their know-how is distorted.” To combat this, Thomas brings the troubled youth of AC to other cities, to see how other kids live. He also advocates volunteerism. Thomas credits three people with “inspiring and supporting his drive to volunteer and work effectively with young people in this community”: Michael Bailey, a former coach of the Atlantic City Dolphins, Joanna Lasane, a former drama teacher from Atlantic City High School, and Lamont Fauntleroy, Thomas’s current supervisor. These three individuals inspired Thomas, now he’s doing the same for others. The Boardwalk Journal | May 2013 | 25
Saint Judith Charters SaintJudith Charters.com Angeloni’s II restaurant and lounge Angeloni’s II offers the finest Italian-American cuisine in the Atlantic City area. The family-owned and operated businesses have been preparing the finest Italian-American entrees in the greater New Jersey area for over 40 years. We invite you to enjoy the fine dining experience of Angeloni’s II where every detail in your complete satisfaction is our goal. 2400 Arctic Avenue Atlantic City, NJ 08401 • (609) 344-7875 • Angelonis2@comcast.net We are located on the corner of Arctic & Georgia Avenues 26 | The Boardwalk Journal | May 2013 Best food in AC: “Every time I return to my hometown in Trenton, NJ, I visit Angeloni’s in Atlantic City…the best veal dishes in town...recently sent my friends from Las Vegas (Louie Prima Jr. and his band) to Angeloni’s and they loved it...and you will too.” Henry Poreda, Saloonkeeper, Sonny’s Saloon and Casino Las Vegas, Nevada Open Monday - Friday for Lunch, Seven Days for Dinner
Page 1 and 2: THE BIGGEST MOB HIT IN YEARS. Now A
Page 3: PROUDLY SERVING ATLANTIC CITY SINCE
Page 6: table of contents VOL. 5 ISSUE 5
Page 9 and 10: PokerStar’s bid for the Atlantic
Page 11 and 12: hello my name is Will Pauls WILL PA
Page 13 and 14: Caesars executives Warren Bader and
Page 15 and 16: NaNcy adler NutritioN It’s not a
Page 17 and 18: By Danielle Davies Almost 40 years
Page 19 and 20: fashion by Raina Tallent, Fashion E
Page 21 and 22: 20Questions: Nynell Langford Nynell
Page 24 and 25: Kenneth M. Warren Jr., Esq. My pare
Page 28 and 29: Anthony’s Out to Lunch Atlantic C
Page 30 and 31: Popovic, wife of Peter Popovic. It
Page 32 and 33: Lloyd D. Levenson’s - “Life at
Page 34 and 35: Peace of Neuroradiology Mind. Advan
Page 36 and 37: They were lined up down the Boardwa
Page 38 and 39: casino is now in bankruptcy. The st
Page 40 and 41: ut amoral political operative. Arra
Page 42 and 43: The diving horse didn’t really di
Page 44 and 45: Quadriceps Sparing Knee Replacement
Page 46 and 47: you should be here accepting them.
Page 48 and 49: Dennis and his friend and martial a
Page 50 and 51: known Dennis Gomes simply, as “Da
Page 52 and 53: speaking at UNLV, I worked in retai
Page 54 and 55: Of course, he did not do all of thi
Page 56 and 57: y Nancy Adler, Nutrition Editor of
Page 58 and 59: • Trademark & Copyright Registrat
Page 60 and 61: “Who’s Jimmy Buffett?” she wa
Page 62 and 63: Atlantic City.... A Place We Call H
Page 64: moreFun nightliFe restaurants Varie

THE BIGGEST MOB HIT IN YEARS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?