Phil Batten receives his 2005 Hats Off to Our Heroes award from Browns Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown in a ceremony before Sunday's season opener againt Cincinnati. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

Ordinary guy’s service stands out
By Zachary Dzurick
Westshore
Published Sept. 17, 2005

Sunday afternoon, the Browns honored 10 local citizens as their 2005 Hats Off to Our Heroes honorees. There were five categories including military, police, fire, EMS and crime prevention.

Phil Batten was one of the honorees for crime prevention. He had his award presented to him on the field by Browns Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown.

"I congratulated him on his activism work," Batten said. "To me, Jim Brown is greater for that than any of his football records."

Batten is not a police officer, but rather a self described, "ordinary guy doing what he is supposed to be doing."

However his friends don't see Batten, who lived in North Olmsted for over 20 years, as ordinary, nor do the Cleveland Browns.

"Phil is the greatest guy on this earth," longtime service station owner Bill Day said. "Everything he does is for other people."

Phil Batten

"Phil is one of the few who has really made a difference in the projects," said Mark Musial, who serves on the board of Lighthouse Inc. "The CMHA has tried but never seem to catch on. Phil has been able to show there is a better life than crime, drugs and gangs. He is a huge teddy bear with a wonderful heart. He always thinks of himself fourth or fifth. Anytime you try to talk to him about what he has done, he will deflect it to the kids. But without him, it all falls apart."

Batten is the CEO of the non-profit Lighthouse Inc. The organization has three main focuses: Heaventrain, food distribution and National Longhouse.

"Heaventrain is a mobile Sunday School that we have taken into impoverished neighborhoods," Batten said. "We have had 1,100 kids on the bus each week for the last 25 years."

But for Batten his ministry changed forever thanks to one little boy he met 23 years ago.

"We teach the Word of God, sing and have puppets," Batten said. "But our ministry changed one day in 1982. A little boy named Alexander asked me, 'Preacher if there is a God why is he letting me go hungry?' I didn't know how to answer him. The next week, I gave him some McDonalds coupons in Jesus's name. Now we always feed the children after we minister to them."

This also led to the start of the food distribution program that is currently at nine locations and helps 5,000 people a month. A few years ago, when the YMCA announced plans to slash their Indian guide program, Batten ran with the idea. The result is a camping program fathers and sons and mothers and daughters called National Longshore that has 7,000 enrolled over a five state area.

Batten was born and raised in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He said he was called to Cleveland to by God.

"In 1977, I was praying to God that I did not want to spend my life but rather invest my life. God told me to go to Cleveland,"

Batten said. "Right after that I got a call from my district supervisor that a church in Willoboughy wanted to call me. So within six weeks we were in a suburb of Cleveland. I had fears because Cleveland's size was frightening but God gave me a deep love for the city."

By 1981, Batten's church had 200 members and Heaventrain had 800. He could not do both adequately and moved to Heaventrain full time. Heaventrain works with infants to 18 years olds but the vast majority of kids are between four and 10.

"I have met some neat kids from some of the toughest areas of Cleveland," Batten said. "Lives have been changed. One of our kids just graduated from Hiram after being a valedictorian at East Tech."

Batten did not expect to be honored by the Browns for his efforts.

"I was totally shocked when they interviewed me they asked if I felt like a hero and I said no," Batten said. "I am just a guy who is doing what he is supposed to be doing. I am honored and humbled by the honor. I feel like I represent the hundreds that try to make a difference with the poor and with kids. I am nothing special just an ordinary guy."

Batten enjoys his ministry in some of the city's toughest neighborhoods but he was glad to call North Olmsted home for two decades.

"North Olmsted is a great town," Batten said. "It was a safe place to raise both our boys. We lived in Canterbury Woods and had some great neighbors."

Day said that Batten's generosity extends even when he is not at work.

"I used to own the service station at Canterbury and Lorain where Donatos is now," Day said. "Things got bad it was costing me my life. Phil would visit me everyday. He would bring sandwiches and drink coffee with me. One day he brought me an envelope with $138 in it. He told me it wasn't much but he wanted to have it. He wouldn't take it back because he said he loved me as a good friend and wanted me to have it. He is always doing things like that. He is terrific and if you know him then love him."

Those interested in contributing to any of Lighthouse Inc. programs can write to 500 East Main Crestline, Ohio 44827 or call (419) 683-1755.