The voice speaking at the Williston town hall meeting echoed what the voice traveling across the airwaves had told Virginia Robinson.

One voice had a familiar face - Barnwell County Sheriff Ed Carroll.

The other voice - nationally-syndicated radio show host and author Michael Baisden - talked through space.

But both their messages were nearly the same and both pushed Robinson into action.

Carroll, along with Brenda O' Berry, the gang investigator for the sheriff's office, told the crowd Feb. 8 about the dangers of gangs creeping into rural areas - something that is happening in Barnwell County.

Baisden had announced on his radio show a campaign to encourage one million Americans to sign up as mentors for children, particularly African-American children.

"The One Million Mentors Campaign to Save Our Kids" kicked-off its first event in Dallas, Texas, Feb. 17 and visits 72 cities in a campaign-themed bus.

Carroll might have thought he was just delivering the same important message he had been to each municipality for the last year.

But Carroll's concerns and Baisden's campaign inspired Robinson to try and start a mentoring program in Barnwell County.

"It sparked a concern in me that there were these three or four gangs in the county,"said Robinson, of Williston.

"I want to stop the gang issues that are developing here and then I thought of Baisden's show and said to myself: 'Maybe this (mentoring program) is something Barnwell County needs.'"

Robinson admits she doesn't really know how to begin the mentoring program.

But she is open to ideas and support and wants to generate interest in it.

"I want to pull together young and old African-American men to work with children and help keep the children's minds straight and help keep them positive," she said.

And "Extremely Positive" is the name Robinson plans on calling the mentoring program.

She said in Williston a number of children are growing up without fathers and in single-parent homes.

"Children don't have anything to do when they are out of school, but hopefully we can find them something to do and keep them off the streets," said Robinson.

"The One Million Mentors Campaign to Save Our Kids" bus pulls into Augusta March 30 and roll into Columbia April 1.

If anyone is interested in helping or joining Virginia Robinson's mentoring program call (803) 671-7201.