There we stood on a corner of J Street in front of a local eatery. I was meeting with local attorney Spencer Lee Walker and his new match partner Chris Morgan. Due to last minute schedule changes and a good game of telephone tag, Spencer was tied up at the office, and I wasn't able to get in touch with Chris. I didn't know how much time Chris and Spencer would have together to meet before Chris had to go to work, but we were going to try to make it work.

Spencer arrived just long enough to be introduced to Chris and arrange to meet again. But despite the awkward first meeting, they hit the ground running. They spend a lot of time together, and it appears that this will be a long-lasting friendship.

Spencer's work with parolees through the Volunteers In Parole (VIP) program began several years ago. Prior to becoming an attorney, he worked for the California Department of Corrections and during his work as a correctional counselor, he "discovered that many of California's incarcerated were products of their environment." Moreover, he found that many of those same individuals reached out to the wrong people for help prior to committing crimes, for example fellow gang members, drug users, and other persons who had extensive criminal history records. As a result, Spencer began to devote a considerable amount of time to talking and listening to inmates concerning things that plagued them.

After Spencer became an attorney in 1996, he left the Department of Corrections and joined VIP in Kern County. Spencer was immediately matched with a mentee, and later that year, he and his match were presented with a recognition award for "Outstanding Match." In 1998, Spencer served as the vice-chair to the Kern County VIP Program.

When Spencer went into private practice in Sacramento, he immediately contacted the Sacramento VIP office to volunteer. He was soon matched with Chris."Most crimes are committed by persons who have previously engaged in criminal behavior," Spencer says. "Therefore, if I can positively impact the life of a person who has served a prison sentence, that person may not re-offend, and our children, spouses and friends may not become victims. The program also gives parolees the opportunity to discover how they too can contribute to mankind as law-abiding, productive members of society - and VIP. is the only program in place whose focus is the same as mine. I am thrilled to be back!"

Chris shares Spencer's excitement about the VIP program. "I think VIP is good and can help its participants, if they want help. I think Spencer and I are a good match. He is a great guy and a great friend. I am really enjoying the friendship. Every time we get together we have a good time. At first, I was skeptical, but now that I have gone through the hoops, I am enjoying it. We go to movies, go out to eat, play pool, and I have been to his office to go online to search for housing. He has been helpful in many different ways. If I need someone to talk to, he's there to listen, and I like that. His opinion matters to me now that he's my friend. I feel comfortable talking to him. He gives me advice on the things that I am going through."

VIP creates a network that helps mentees achieve their goals and turn their lives around. Chris appreciates this. "Not only do I have a good mentor, but a good program director and a good parole agent. With all three of them, it will help me make it."

The match between Chris and Spencer seems as if they have been friends for years, and Chris feels that this could be just what he needs to succeed. "I think Spencer is going to help me make it. I am pretty much doing it on my own, but he's helping me too. It's good to know there is someone there to help me make it. Someone to give me that extra little push, that little extra advice, and he's very good at it."

Friendship is what VIP is all about, and Spencer and Chris have become fast friends. Volunteers In Parole, Sacramento would like to welcome Spencer and Chris to our community. It appears that they will prove to be a wonderful and strong match!

If you would like to learn more about VIP or would like to become a volunteer, please contact Angela S. Tillotson, Program Director, by phone: 916.324.4141, ext. 259, or email at vipsacramento@ earthlink.net.

September / October 2004