PENDER COUNTY -- Inmates at the Pender Correctional Institution are praying for more room to worship.
Pender County Chaplain Jim Spirito-Santo says finding religion is a crucial part of the rehabilitation process. The problem is the prison's chapel isn't big enough for everyone.
Sunday services are now held in the visitation area, which holds about 70 people. But each week inmates have to be turned away because there's just not enough room.
Inmate Larry Knight said, "With a life sentence, it's the only hope that I have is within the lord and we're in desperate need of a larger facility."
The prison needs to raise about $300,000 to build a new, larger facility.
The chaplain says he's hoping to fund the project with donations from the community.
Anyone can mail donations to:
Pender Development Fund.
P.O. Box 1058
Burgaw, NC 28425
You can find more info about the project at www.PenderChapel.org or by calling 910-663-3076.


Thank God someone else sees
Thank God someone else sees the light in reference to how quick they seem to lose him after "finding" him when they get out. I agree that finding him sets well with the parole board. These people know how to work the system to get what they want, look at the Hilton they live in now and take a long look at the school system where our kids have to do fund raisers to buy computer equipment and playground equipment. While the prisoners have a top-notch weight/exercise room, color tv's, etc. I say there's something wrong with this picture, America. I say put the money to "good" use and use it in the schools for our children's education and "free" them from the fundraisers. What happened to "if you do the crime do the time" not go on vacation. I know these people miss their families, but they should have thought about that before they violated the law.