Ollie Brown had the first live television show on channel 12 but that was not his greatest gift to Erie. Over the years Ollie and his wife Thelma Brown opened an emergency home where troubled teen could be brought by police officers that felt the the Erie Jails were not where they belonged.

Now Erie has juvenile detention centers. The also adopted 16 children and over 90 foster children of all races. At times there were 22 children in the home at once. Ollie also taught the children to sing and traveled all over the US finding home for children. Trying to break down racial barriers and teaching people that children are children and all deserve to have homes. They made a point to take in children which were called hard to place children that most people would not consider for adoption. I know I was adopted at age 16 and a very trouble teenager. Ollie and Thelma helped Erie by helping to raise troubled kids into productive success for young people for our future. They gave up there lives for the sake of children. Ollie is dead now but Thelma is still living in the area.

Thelma is the author of Bruised Blossoms.

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