'Days with Dads' program helps kids connect with positive male role models

KANKAKEE COUNTY, Ill. - There's nothing like spending time with dear old dad. In this edition of Good News Guarantee, a group of Kankakee County men are making sure more kids get that quality time with a special program. 

Twenty Kankakee County dads brought their favorite skills like building paper airplanes, doing science projects and carpentry to the students of King Middle School.  

"I actually seen something on the news about some dads in another area school where a bunch of dads just wanted to get together... [to be] positive male role models in their area," said Eric Peterson, the founder of a local veterans support group.  

He started the "Days with Dads" program three years ago by recruiting some of his veteran friends. 

"There are some kids that unfortunately don't have a positive male role model in their life. I had one little girl come up to me to tell me that she didn't know that dads were nice," Peterson said.  

Father of seven, John Haberkamp has participated in the program since its inception.  

"I enjoy the one-on-one time that I spend with them when you really get to talk to them, see what's going on, what's a day in their life," Haberkamp said.  

The program has partnered with the Duane Dean Behavioral Health Center's Violence Prevention Program to offer kids additional support.

"This is so much more than one person.  It's one thing to complain about the dirt, but it's another to plant some seeds yourself... We see so many people that want to be a part of a program to just let these kids know we're here and we care," Peterson said.

"Days with Dads" is looking for more volunteers to expand the program to more schools. If you're interested in teaming up with them, go to ProjectHeadspaceAndTiming.org.