Police chief plans return to Russia
by Lenny Roberts

As part of a task force dealing with narcotics abuse and domestic violence issues in Russia in November 2000, Sheriff's Capt. Gary Pentis worked closely with Russian police and was a guest educator at Belarusian State University.
Pentis also visited orphanages full of children - innocent victims of the bankrupt Russian economy and the Chernobyl nuclear incident. The trip made a lasting impact on Ojai's police chief.
Using his own funds, Pentis has adopted the Solotcha orphanage and plans to return to the outskirts of Minsk in late April with all the money he can raise to help make a dent in the lack of decent nutrition, basic school supplies and qualified tutors. The Camarillo-based Restoring Hope Foundation will pay his airfare.
"I had my heart torn out spending time in the orphanages, seeing the way these kids live," he began. "Meat in a meal is seldom experienced by kids in an orphanage. Often, a potato is the only meal they eat, and those are usually donated by a local farmer. Potato pancakes for breakfast, potato soup and a vegetable for dinner."
Pentis described the 1.2 million children who have been lodged in state-run orphanages throughout the country since 1989 as "warehoused." They are abandoned or neglected by their families, and rely on world church organizations and outside help just to stay alive. In fact, nearly 30 percent of all impoverished newborns will not see their second birthday.
"I've been to a lot of Third World countries, and this is not about poverty. It's about people stifled and controlled by their government," Pentis said.
"The kids continue to be victims. The safety net of protective services that we have and the safety net that Communism provided is gone since the wall came down. Nearly 100,000 kids are abandoned each year in front of police stations, at bus stations and at hospitals, and some of the infants only receive two to three minutes each day of human contact.
Kids are generally released from orphanages at age 17 - released with no transitional preparation. Within a year, Pentis said, statistics show that 31 percent will attempt suicide and 25 percent wind up in Russian prisons before the age of 18.
The feeling of hopelessness lies mostly outside the tourist meccas of St. Petersburg and Moscow - hopelessness created by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the deaths of soldiers in the war with Chechnya and/or parents who are unable to care for their children because of the economic crisis.
"Entire families have been wiped out in this area, and the serious alcohol abuse in this region has left many other children parentless. There are very limited services and that's why the mortality rate is so high."
The orphanage Pentis has adopted typically houses 150 children ages 9 through 18 in one building, and 75 between infancy and age 9 in another. He has received pledges of fund-raising support from locals Pat Weinberger, Carlon Stroebel and at least one retired law enforcement officer.
Those interested in contributing to the orphans' nutrition and education fund should make tax-deductible checks payable to Youth Options Unlimited, a nonprofit organization made up of law enforcement officers, and send or deliver them to the Ojai Police Department at 402 S. Ventura St.
All the donations specific to the Russian orphanages will be personally delivered by Pentis, who plans to purchase school supplies out of his own pocket.
"One of my biggest fears is money that doesn't go where it's supposed to, but 100 percent of what is donated will go directly to these kids, not for travel or other fees," Pentis concluded.
For more information, Pentis can be reached during normal business hours at 646-1414.

© 2002 The Ojai Valley News

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