“A Hero Among Us”
When we think of heroes, characters such as Superman and Batman come to mind, men and women of strength and valor, who take on the unparalleled tasks of keeping their cities safe and free from evil. Yet, what these fictional characters seem to lack, is what truly defines a hero. A hero is defined as, “a man or woman who fights for a cause.” Comic book characters like the ones mentioned above seem to lack a personal motivation for their heroic deeds. They fly out of the sky when they are needed most and then without more than a smile and a wave they vanish from sight. We all know that such figures are imaginary; in the real world this fictional breed of heroes are not reliable resources, yet this does not mean that our communities are without heroes. As a matter of fact, our communities are filled with true heroes, men and women striving valiantly with whatever talents and resources they have to offer, to make our communities a better place.
Mister James “Jim” Bettencourt stands as the epitome of a hero. Mr. Bettencourt, a lifetime Willows resident and graduate of Willows High School in 1973, has witnessed the trends of Glenn County for nearly five decades. He has seen Glenn County at its proudest moments, but in 2000, Mr. Bettencourt witnessed an impending disaster in his home town of Willows. In November, 2000, Mr. Bettencourt received a phone call informing him that his 14 year old son, Joe Bettencourt, had suffered a near fatal drug overdose after using methamphetamine. Fortunately for the Bettencourt family, Joe survived, but the incident continued to plague Mr. Bettencourt’s thoughts. Mr. Bettencourt stated that, “if he didn’t know, 90 percent of the community didn’t know,” about the dangers of methamphetamines and other illicit drugs. Mr. Bettencourt immediately began to “quantify the problem,” and was shocked to learn that in the year 2001, “meth,” had been a developing problem for nearly two decades and the reason for approximately 90 percent of local crime. With such daunting statistics Mr. Bettencourt was amazed by the severity of the drug epidemic but even more amazed that, “a 12 year old kid could become addicted.” In 2001 local law enforcement accepted his offer to help educate the community about its “big secret.”
What emerged from Mr. Bettencourt’s proposal became known as the Not In Our Town: Glenn County program; however Mr. Bettencourt did not solely develop the program himself. Redding District Attorney McGregor Scott, who formed the Not In Our Town: Shasta County several years earlier, provided Mr. Bettencourt with the, “tools, direction, and vision of where to go.” Mr. Scott continues to work closely with Mr. Bettencourt in what is becoming a statewide effort to educate citizens about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Mr. Bettencourt determined very soon after the formation of the Not In Our Town: Glenn County program, that the most effective way of preventing the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol was to educate the citizens of Glenn County. Mr. Bettencourt’s desire to, “shed some light,” on the problem, developed into what Bettencourt calls a “media blitz.” Not In Our Town: Glenn County, after educating themselves about Glenn County’s big secret, began providing information for communities in classrooms, community service groups, and newspapers. People of all ages were targeted in the organization’s efforts to bring the drug crisis in Glenn County to an end. Still, Mr. Bettencourt gave special attention to the children of our communities. Mr. Bettencourt personally has delivered presentations and organized the Drug Store program in an attempt to reach every student in our county. Bettencourt understood that he could never physically stop an individual from using, but he could provide potential users with the opportunity to make “an educated decision.” Bettencourt, when asked, stated that his initial vision was, “to disclose the negative consequences regarding meth, including destruction of families, lethal consequences to users, and the collective negative consequences to the communities.” While continuing to operate in classrooms, Not in Our Town: Glenn County now offers a full time website, free drug test kits for parents, anti-drug billboard advertisements, and a prescription drug forum, that enables the program to extend its influence far beyond the county and even state lines.
Yet, Bettencourt notes, that while having experienced great success over the past decade, the fight against drug abuse continues to be an “uphill battle.” Television and popular society continues to deceive American citizens with advertisements that portray drug use as something that is “cool and popular.” Still Mr. Bettencourt remains particularly touched by “kids’ strong desire and need to hear the truth, even when our society dares to speak it one time out of a thousand.” Mr. Bettencourt notes that he could have given up the uphill fight long ago, but when he sees “the desire for the truth” it energizes him and keeps him going. Bettencourt states, “I’ve accepted that people are going to use no matter what, but if I can reach the kids on the fences, be the mediator, and give them a choice, I’ve done a good thing.”
In our communities there are many heroes. We have our teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, baseball coaches, doctors, parents, friends, and family, who all strive valiantly to make Glenn County a welcoming and safe environment for its residents. Yet there are a few people who do the dirty work, who shed light on problems that are complicated and impossible to stop, even control. Mr. James Bettencourt has been doing this dirty work for our county for nearly ten years now. Mr. Bettencourt is a man whose desire to share the truth brings him to tears when speaking in classrooms and public places. A man who wakes up every morning with desire to dramatically change the lives of families and children, who continues to battle popular society, and sincerely desires that no parents or children will have to face the devastation he and his son once faced, Mr. Bettencourt has truly deserved the title, hero.
“A Hero Among Us”
Stephen Batchelder
Orland High School Grade 11
325 Stony Creek Drive
Orland, CA 95963
(530)-865-7896
I want to thank Stephen for writing such a compelling essay and congratulate him for his successful efforts in the essay competition. His excellent writing skills should be recognized just as much, "if not more" then his recognition of the work I have done over the last decade.
I have never seen myself as a hero even though on more than one occasion others have kindly praised me with this narrative. When I think of the word hero I think of Captain Scully who heroically landed the plane in the Hudson saving over a hundred lives. I think of the young man who recently helped save the life of Congresswoman Gabi Gifford under the hail of a spray of bullets.
But now I think I understand what Stephen and others have been saying, I finally get it. It is not the person that makes the hero, it is their actions under intolerable situations that makes them heroic. Without special reward, without regard of outcome, no matter how hopeless the situation, a person, any person can be heroic. Simply by doing what is right, by doing the very best to make an intolerable situation better, for any man, woman or child who otherwise could be harmed.
Thank you Stephen Batchelder for helping me understand what being a hero truly means.
Your friend always,
Jim Bettencourt
I have never seen myself as a hero even though on more than one occasion others have kindly praised me with this narrative. When I think of the word hero I think of Captain Scully who heroically landed the plane in the Hudson saving over a hundred lives. I think of the young man who recently helped save the life of Congresswoman Gabi Gifford under the hail of a spray of bullets.
But now I think I understand what Stephen and others have been saying, I finally get it. It is not the person that makes the hero, it is their actions under intolerable situations that makes them heroic. Without special reward, without regard of outcome, no matter how hopeless the situation, a person, any person can be heroic. Simply by doing what is right, by doing the very best to make an intolerable situation better, for any man, woman or child who otherwise could be harmed.
Thank you Stephen Batchelder for helping me understand what being a hero truly means.
Your friend always,
Jim Bettencourt
