Love is the Way

On July 18, 2001, Latiana was drowned in the bathtub of her foster home in the Arlington area of Jacksonville. Her foster mother, Lena Cumberbatch, was eventually convicted of murdering the little girl along with nine other counts of child abuse against other foster children in her care.

Watching Cumberbatch's trial with particular interest was Keith Denton, who happened to be visiting Northeast Florida while scouting locations for a home for abused, neglected and orphaned children. "Call it coincidence, but I prefer to call it providence," says Denton. "That case demonstrated the need. We knew what we had to do."

So Latiana's tragic death became the impetus behind the founding of Seamark Ranch, now taking shape on 468 acres in rural Jacksonville" target="_blank">Clay County. "I've never seen a community rally around a mission and a vision like Jacksonville has around this one," notes Denton, 30, who serves as executive director while his wife, April, serves as executive secretary. "We're not celebrities. We're nobodies. But the outpouring has been incredible."

The Dentons may not be high-profile, but that hasn't prevented the Northeast Florida business community from adopting their crusade. Nearly $1 million in cash has been raised while leaders in the building and development industry have provided everything from donations of land to design and construction services.

In part, it's Denton's inspiring personal story that is attracting attention and support. When he was 10 years old-in fact, the morning following his birthday-his mother dropped him off at Big Oak Ranch for Boys near Gadsden, Ala., and never returned. "I don't want my son anymore," she told the man who answered the door.

Angry at being abandoned, Denton says he "spent five years trying to get kicked out." Ultimately, however, he came to regard the ranch as home. He graduated from high school as valedictorian and was accepted at West Point Military Academy. Later, he transferred to Birmingham-Southern College, where he majored in political science and married his college girlfriend, April Robeson.

In 1997, Denton was preparing to attend law school at the University of Alabama when he received a call from John Croyle, a former Crimson Tide defensive end who had given up an NFL career to start Big Oak Ranch. Croyle asked Denton to take over as the ranch's director of development and fundraising. Grateful for the ranch's role in shaping his life, Denton said yes.

Later, when he began to entertain the idea of starting his own ranch based on the Big Oak model, Denton was encouraged to consider Northeast Florida by John Coxwell, president of J.B. Coxwell Contracting, and Hugh Mathews, executive vice president of England, Thims & Miller, a civil engineering firm. Coxwell and Mathews were both Alabama natives and Big Oak supporters.

The duo introduced Denton to other local movers and shakers, including Ed Burr, president and CEO of LandMar Group, Chip Skinner, a developer and landowner, Susan Hamilton, senior vice president of CSX, and T.R. Hainline, an attorney with Rogers, Towers, Bailey, Jones & Gay. All pledged their support and recruited their friends to serve on the fledgling ranch's board of directors.

However, Denton's biggest big break came when two pillars of the development community, Chester Stokes and Hawley Smith, donated 468 acres of rural land on S.R. 16 just west of the tiny community of Penney Farms. Smith and his wife, Emily, had heard Denton speak at a fundraising dinner and were impressed by this earnest young man whose laid-back drawl couldn't disguise his passion for children in need. Smith later took Denton to meet Stokes, his longtime friend and partner in several real estate ventures.

"Hawley came over to my office with Keith one day to discuss the possibility of donating the land," Stokes says. "I was so impressed with Keith's story, and as a father of a 12-year-old son, I shared Keith's vision for a home for children who have been dealt some tough breaks in life."

Other builders and developers jumped aboard the bandwagon, recruiting their suppliers and subcontractors and providing construction services at or below cost. North Florida Builders, for example, is building the executive director's home while Beazer Homes is building the first boys' residence and renovating the executive offices. Richard A. Dostie, A Toll Brothers Company is building the first girls' residence while Centex Homes is slated to build a second boys' residence later in the year. Powers & Merritt and Bloodgood Sharp Buster have provided complimentary architectural services for the buildings.

Beazer's coincidental introduction to Seamark is typical of the good fortune-Denton would say divine intervention-that has bolstered the project since its inception.

"I was eating lunch at a restaurant where Keith happened to be sharing his story," says Barbara Moore, president of Beazer's Jacksonville Division. "He was seated at the table next to mine and I overheard the mission of Seamark Ranch. Days later the Seamark Ranch name was brought up in conversation at the office and I immediately connected the chance encounter with Keith."

Because of Seamark's Christian orientation, Denton will not accept public funds. The ranch, which will accept children of all faiths, will instead be supported by donations from individuals, foundations, corporations and churches. Upon completion, it will accommodate 96 children between the ages of six and 16 in eight residential facilities. The official opening is slated for early next year.

"The best part is, we're offering a permanent home," says Denton. "A child could stay with us from the first grade through high school instead of being shuttled around to different foster homes." Plus, Denton notes, transitional programs up to two years in duration will be available for teen-agers who have graduated from high school and are preparing to enter college or vocational school.

"You don't have to listen to statistics of abused, abandoned or homeless children for very long to realize something needs to be done," adds Smith. "I commend Keith and April for their compassion and sacrifice. Emily and I encourage anyone with means to join in helping Keith and April realize their dream."

LOCAL KIDS IN NEED

*More than 1,000 Jacksonville children are listed in the Florida Department of Children and Families' foster care program, but there are fewer than 400 registered foster homes and 14 children's homes with a total of 328 beds.

* Nearly 18,000 Jacksonville children each year are confirmed by DCF as being victims of abuse and neglect.

* More than 95,000 Florida children were confirmed by DCF as being victims of abuse and neglect in 2000. Of every 1,000 children, 9.4 were neglected, 4.2 were physically abused and 1.5 were sexually abused.

* Florida's rate of child abuse is nearly one out of 11 children-15 times higher than the national average.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Contact Seamark Ranch at (904) 269-5559, or write P.O. Box 600040, Jacksonville, FL 32260. On the Web, log onto www.seamarkranch.com.

Seamark Ranch was boosted by a donation of land from two influential Jacksonville developers. Shown are (left to right): Chester and Lynda Stokes, Keith and April Denton and Emily and Hawley Smith.

Beazer Homes is building the first boys' residence at Seamark Ranch. Shown are (left to right): Chris Vanzant, Jacksonville Division COO; Barbara Moore, Jacksonville Division president; Keith Denton; Jim Moore, Jacksonville Division vice president for construction; and Jayson Williams, Jacksonville Division purchasing manager.