Hampton Roads Loses an Amazing Benefactor

There are many who achieve success and do little or nothing to give back to their community. Walter Segaloff, who dies suddenly yesterday morning was not such a person.  After a successful career in building a chain of women's clothing and specialty stores Segaloff remained involved in the Hampton Roads community, especially on the Virginia Peninsula and in 1992 established An Achievable Dream, a program offering tennis lessons and summer and after-school tutoring to elementary school students in Newport News.   His vision for the program: to end the cycle of poverty through education.   An Achievable Dream evolved into an elementary school and expanded to include a middle and high school.  Now, more than 1,200 economically disadvantaged students in grades K-12 receive an education with a social curriculum at the year-round, extended-day, public/private schools.  Just recently, plans to open a replica of that school in Virginia Beach in fall 2014 were announced.  Both the Virginian Pilot and the Daily Press are carrying stories on Segaloff's passing and his many past civic activities. Here are some excerpts:

In an interview earlier this year, Segaloff said he got the idea for An Achievable Dream when he watched from his car as police handcuffed three teens.  "I felt there's no American dream here," he said in the interview. "It isn't happening."  He said he had also noticed that his family's stores had trouble hiring workers because many applicants didn't know how to act or speak in an interview. He said he wanted to change that.

The schools are operated as part of Newport News Public Schools, but An Achievable Dream's nonprofit status allows it to raise money to add longer days and more programs for students.

Segaloff has developed partnerships with local businesses, the military, law enforcement and other agencies, and employees of those entities spend time in the school interacting with students.  The students, known as Dreamers, are greeted each morning by teachers, administrators, deputies from the Newport News Sheriffs Department and Fort Eustis Soldiers who line up to shake their hands as they enter the building. "Our kids ... you just show them the way.

If you teach them socially, morally and ethically the right thing to do, they'll do the right thing," Segaloff said Friday night [when he had been honored by the Virginia Press Association as its 2013 Virginian of the Year]. "With all of our graduates, we don't have one of them in trouble.

They are in business, college or military; they're productive, law-abiding citizens."

Traditional classroom instruction is blended with lessons about ethics, etiquette, peaceful conflict resolution and healthy living.

Walter Segaloff was one of the boyfriend's clients and we supported the Achievable Dream's annual fundraiser each year.   I feel lucky to have known him.  I cannot help but contrast what he did for his community compared to what so many of the "godly Christian" crowd fail to do.  Segaloff was Jewish and like many others in that faith community gave back to others.