Backyard Broadcast Helps Operation Underground Railroad

Audrey Landheim

Lexie Russon, reporter

   O.U.R or Operation Underground Railroad is an organization that travels around to rescue children who have been kidnapped and are now being held as slaves. Many children get kidnapped by people who offer up a fake modeling service, making the kids travel to where they are under the false pretence that they are going to become models.  

   O.U.R was founded by a man named Tim Ballard, a former special agent who dropped everything to pursue a new career that would save children’s lives. He has since gathered a large team of former Navy Seals, CIA, and special agents. In order to rescue these children, this group of people work hard to find their location. Once the child has been located, they use their unique skill sets to devise a plan to safely rescue each child and arrest those responsible. Then they take action and work with the local authorities. Sometimes to rescue the children, they pretend to be customers and “buy” the children to get them out of harm’s way and then send the kidnappers to jail.

   After that they get the children home to their families. Organizations like Backyard Broadcast at our school hold fundraisers to raise money so that those children can get therapy, and the help that they need after going through this traumatic experience. They have already rescued tons of children and arrested those responsible all over the world.

   Davis High senior Anthony Coombs said “People can get involved, just by joining the club. Just come to our monthly meetings and you’ll find out all about how you can be involved in raising awareness,” Davis High senior Anthony Coombs said. “If you want to help out with the legislation or police training we’d love you to come and help out. Anything, just come talk to me and we’ll figure out a way for you to get involved because there is always something you can do.”