Indiana Gazette Article on Verum
Gaming event offered as party alternative: By BILL ZIMMERMAN, billz@indianagazette.net
Published: Monday, November 30, 2009 11:33 AM EST
When Alan Seymour set out to offer students a safe and fun alternative to the late-night party scene, he looked for an activity that could draw a diverse crowd.Seymour, of Indiana, thinks he found that unifier: video games.
In October, Seymour's nonprofit program, Verum Venatus, held its first gaming event in the University Square atrium, and on Friday and Saturday, gamers will come together again. For Seymour, who is a jock and who is in the band matters little when it's time to mash buttons.
``It transcends all those labels because everybody plays them,'' he said.Verum Venatus' mission statement is ``To give the 18- to 30-year-old population an alternative to alcohol and drugs by utilizing all technological avenues (gaming systems in particular), personal mentoring, tutoring and conversational evangelism.''
However, Seymour, a therapist who practices out of his home church, Calvary Evangelical Free Church in White Township, said college and high students who attend won't be ``hit over the head'' with religion.But if they want some mentoring on matters both spiritual and otherwise, it will be available.Seymour, 37, said he began thinking about Verum Venatus years ago, and recently found a partner, Kyle Bruno, who's in his early 20s and gave him a primer on gaming.
``I'm not in the gaming circle,'' he said. ``I'm just tying to give kids things do to.''Verum Venatus is Latin for Truth Game, and Seymour, who is also an ordained minister, said it's his style to ``tell it like it is'' and deliver the truth about mental, physical and spiritual health.
An Elderton High School graduate, he has a doctorate in biblical psychology from Pillsbury College and Seminary in St. Louis and said his training is ``kind of like combining theology with psychology.''Seymour, a father of three, said he's able to treat both Christians and non-Christians and has worked extensively with at-risk youth in Florida, where he and his wife opened their home to as many as eight teens at a time, and North Carolina, where he worked with gang members.
He moved back to the area a few years ago before heading to India, where he taught for a year at a seminary in Bangalore, and returned to Indiana in May.As he secures more funding and gauges public interest from the gaming events, Seymour plans to open Verum Venatus' own center in a vacant office space in the bottom of University Square.
He envisions students coming to play until about 11 p.m. on weekdays and later into the night on Fridays and Saturdays. The center would also have room for gatherings such as Bible studies as well as space to rent out for other events such as parties. He said it's too early to set an opening date, but that he's still looking for donations and volunteers. He has an eight-member board of directors in place and hopes to have 10 people guide the organization soon.
On Oct. 23, about 18 kids played a ``Halo 3'' tournament competing for prizes, including T-shirts and video games donated by Back Street Records. Rent-A-Center donated four big-screen TVs for the event, and a Nintendo Wii was set up for those wanting a more casual gaming experience. On Oct. 24, members of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Video Games Club stopped by and games were played outside of the tournament structure.
``Halo 3'' is rated M for gamers 17 or older, and Seymour said no one outside of the Entertainment Software Rating Board guidelines would be able to play games with that rating. He also said Verum Venatus would not offer any bloody games such as those from the popular ``Grand Theft Auto'' series.
His work with troubled youngsters helped influence Verum Venatus' behavioral guidelines, which include no swearing, no horseplay, no tobacco or alcohol and no skipping class to attend gaming events.``My philosophy is you have to set the bar high and kids will generally rise to it,'' he said.
If you go ...What: Verum Venatus gaming eventWhen: Registration for ``Halo 3'' double-elimination tournament begins at 4 p.m. Friday with play going from 6 to about 10 p.m.; tournament will continue Saturday afternoon. Cost is $10.
Where: University Square atrium, Grant StreetWeb site: http://www.verumvenatus.org/
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