LETTER OF COMMENDATION
August 1, 2014
RE: Eugene Brown Letter of Commendation
To Whom it May Concern:
The purpose of this letter is to formally and publicly commend Mr. Eugene Brown for the excellent service that he has provided to the incarcerated men that I have worked with in the great state of North Carolina. My name is Peter Kuhns and I have worked, as a psychological program manager, in a maximum security prison in North Carolina for the past four years. The vast majorities of the men that I work with have been charged with serious violent crimes with very long prison sentences.
About six months ago I started up a therapeutic chess program. The class ran for approximately 4 months and at the last group we watched the movie “Life of King” together. I looked around the room and noticed that there was hardly a dry eye in the house. I was amazed by how the film touched these men who have been so hardened by a life of violence and incarceration. At the conclusion of the film many of the men approached me and said that it was the most moving film that they had ever seen. I vowed that I would look into the possibility of having the real life hero of the story, Eugene Brown, come and talk to the prison population.
I called the Chess House in D.C. and was surprised when none other than Eugene Brown answered the phone. He graciously agreed to come to our facility and talk with these incarcerated men. We packed as people as possible into the small classroom and Mr. Brown did not disappoint the eager anticipation of the men. One of my staff who attended, who has worked in the prison longer than me, said that this talk was the most inspiring talk that he has heard during the entire span of his career. The incarcerated men in the audience were fully engaged and hanging unto every word of the inspiring and redemptive presentation.
Eugene Brown is a gifted motivational speaker who uses the great game of chess as a mechanism to inspire others to live their lives in the fullest way possible. He says for us to not make excuses for our lives but seize the opportunities that have been granted to us. He challenges us to learn from our mistakes. He urges us all too truly “think B4 we move.” Mr. Brown’s life, message, and work is an inspiration for us all and I cannot thank him enough for the great work that he has done for the children of our nation’s capital and for the hope that he offers for the many people in often hopeless situations each day in our nation’s prisons.
Peter Kuhns
Peter Kuhns
To whom it may concern,
Eugene Brown came to the campus of Barium Springs Home for Children in Troutman, NC on May 5 2014. He spoke to the students of King and Sullivan Home as well as the students from our Day Treatment Program. Eugene discussed how the game of Chess is a metaphor for how to live your life. He also discussed the filming of his life story “Life of a King”. All the students had already seen the movie and now participated in discussions about how to make choices in life and how to think about your ‘end game’. The students were engaged for the entire period and several asked questions during the Q and A and the end.
After Mr. Brown’s presentation, each child met him, shook hands and practiced greeting skills. Everyone’s behavior was appropriate.
Mr. Brown came by King and Sullivan and took student-guided tours of each home. He played chess with the students that knew how to play and showed the basics of setting up a board to others. He gave words of encouragement to those brave enough to play against him.
Mr. Brown is a great role model for our students. We have several students that could go down the same path; hopefully they will remember and apply the lessons learned. I am so impressed with Eugene Brown’s accomplishments and how he continues to share his message with our youth, I believe the students appreciated him as well.
Regards
Delene Huggins
