It started with a simple request and turned into an afterschool career.

Tyler Barr began volunteering for The Guardian Shelter for Battered Families on Oak Street when his mother, Sandra Waldrep, asked him a favor.

&uot;She wanted me to take five truckloads of donations from the shelter to the thrift shop on Commerce Street,&uot; Barr said. &uot;It just kind of grew from there.&uot;

Waldrep works in the office at the shelter and had plenty of work for a strapping 16-year-old son with a pickup truck. &uot;He works at the shelter, the thrift shop and at Catholic Charities,&uot; Waldrep said. &uot;We work him every day.&uot;

The women of the Guardian Shelter office depend on Barr, while he sees his involvement with the shelter as &uot;pretty routine.&uot;

&uot;I clean stuff, pick up donations and do things they can’t get to,&uot; Barr said.

A junior at Natchez High School, Barr said he hasn’t chosen a profession yet.

&uot;I&160;like English, math and a little bit of history,&uot; Barr said. &uot;But my favorite class is building trades at the Vo-Tech Center.&uot;

Barr admits he likes creative activity and working with his hands, and at this point in his life is leaning toward mechanics.

With a large and growing family, Barr said he has one 13-year-old sister, one 16-month old step sister, and one baby brother due sometime around Feb. 1, 2000. Barr admits he isn’t great at changing diapers, but will offer baby-sitting services for his parents.

He has another stepsister and stepbrother who live out of town.

When he isn’t volunteering at the shelter, his favorite afterschool activities include hunting, fishing, golfing and spending time with his girlfriend.