Boneham gives back

It's no surprise that Indianapolis' native Rupert Boneham, the son of an IU geology professor and a high school biology and chemistry teacher, often took nature-oriented family vacations. At just three years old, Boneham pitched his own tent, caught his first snake and came home with the realization that he wanted to live in the woods.\n"From then on, I knew that if you stick me out anywhere, I can make it," Boneham said. "I know I can."\nAnd 36 years later, Boneham's wish was granted. After hunting for his own food and shelter and making allies and enemies on the CBS reality hit "Survivor 7: The Pearl Islands," where he finished eighth, Boneham was back and ready to show America what he wanted to do since he was a young boy.\n"I really am a survivor," he said. "I can fend for myself in any situation."\nAmerica didn't disagree. \nAfter placing fourth in "Survivor: All-Stars," which included 18 players from the previous eight shows, Boneham walked away with 85 percent of the votes from 38 million people nationwide, earning him a bonus viewer's choice award of $1 million. Wearing his trademark sleeveless tie-dyed T-shirt, Boneham's popularity has taken him around Indiana "hooting and hollering" during his one man show. "Rupert on Stage" will come to Bloomington at 7 p.m. Friday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, located at 114 E. Kirkwood Ave.\nBoneham said the shows he has done so far have been "outrageous," with an audience range of ages five to 85 and often sold-out shows.\n"It's the most fun I've ever had getting up on stage and telling stories about myself," Boneham said. "It's the best job I've ever had. I get to run around the country and be me." \nBoneham hasn't only touched those who have come to his performances, but also thousands of troubled teens around the country.\nBefore he was a millionaire, Boneham worked as a mentor to at-risk youth through the non-profit, Indianapolis-based organization Choices Incorporated.\nAfter receiving the $1 million, Boneham and his wife, Laura, vowed to start their own mentoring organization and wrote a $100,000 check to Choices to launch a new program, Rupert's Kids.\nAccording to their Web site, www.rupertskids.org, Rupert's Kids is a non-profit organization committed to changing lives by empowering youth to discover their inner strengths, realize their own self worth and realize their value to society.\nRupert's Kids facilitates this process by providing mentoring and educational programming to youth through the rehabilitation of housing for low-income families.\n"I've always wanted to create my own organization for kids, but I've never had the resources until now," Boneham said. "Rupert's Kids is an extension of what my wife and I have done for the last 10 years."\nBoneham said the organization aims to teach youth responsibility and job skills by working on dilapidated homes throughout Indianapolis. The organization will then sell the homes for a nominal amount to low-income families.\n"We are taking kids out of the system from the Department of Education, Department of Correction and Department of Child and Family Services and working on properties that I'm getting from the city," he said. "I'm teaching (the kids) construction, framing, demolition, work ethic and rehab."\nBoneham said its amazing how many kids, families and single parents bounce from place to place, as city shelters are often full to capacity.\n"Once the houses are complete, we are going to have the families pay a small amount to the organization each month," he said. "We will keep them tied to Rupert's Kids and can help keep our eyes on them."\nThe organization recently launched its Web site and is looking forward to the first fundraising event in December. Boneham said he is preparing for the program's official launch in January 2005.\nIn the meantime, Boneham is keeping himself busy by doing charity work with the Big Brothers Big Sisters and YMCA organizations.\n"I try to help groups that deal with kids," Boneham said. "I try and help build strength inside themselves. My philosophy is that the strength inside yourself will carry you very far. And everybody's got it. There's not a kid out there I wouldn't help." \nBoneham said part of the reason he applied for "Survivor" was to get himself and his kids groups out of debt. \n"I also knew that darn game was made for me," he said.\nSenior Jennifer Billinson has watched "Survivor" since the first season. When she came to college, she and her friends made a tradition of having "Survivor" parties every Thursday night.\nBillinson said she liked Boneham because of the way he played the game.\n"He didn't lie, cheat or manipulate," she said. "He was real, and he seemed like a normal and loyal guy."\nBillinson spent the semester studying abroad during "Survivor All-Stars." When she returned home, she watched the entire season in a two-day sitting.\n"I liked Rupert the first time I ever saw him," Billinson said. "I thought it was awesome and well-deserved that he won the money. Even though I'm not an Indiana native, I was proud to have him representing the state."\nIndianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson agreed. He proclaimed June 21, the first day of summer, "Rupert Day," stating that Boneham represented the city so well, and it was a great honor to claim him as one of its own. \n"It's very cool," Boneham said. "It was a quiet and low-key day. We had a presentation and got on TV, but it was a neat little recognition to me of Indy saying thanks to one of their own."\nBoneham said he is enjoying his newfound fame, but is trying his best to take in as much time with his wife and 5-year-old daughter, Raya, as possible.\n"The funniest thing is going to the aquarium at the zoo with my daughter and pointing out all of the fish that I ate (on the show)," he said. "I can't believe I ate $500 fish. I was grabbing fish with my bare hands and eating them."\nBoneham said he hasn't let his experience go to his head. The only difference now is that his wife never sends him out to the grocery store to pick up a gallon of milk because a simple five-minute trip turns into hours.\n"I say 'thank you' at least 100 times a day because everybody is constantly coming up to me and telling me that they love me," he said. "I have been the same old Rupert for 40 years, and I hope I will for the next 40 years. But now I have this inner peace inside of me that is beyond compare. I never would have been able to attain that had it not been for 'Survivor.' I can get up in front of thousands of people and talk about myself, stammer and stutter and not feel too bad."\nSuzanne Strick, marketing director at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, said she has heard great things about the stage show and is looking forward to Boneham's performance.\n"Many of us really do watch enough reality shows and can identify with someone leading a laid-back lifestyle like Rupert does," Strick said.\nBoneham said he is taking his 15 minutes of fame and is turning it into the next 40 years of his life.\n"If my face fades in front of the camera, my 15 minutes of fame will still last me a lifetime," he said. "I want this, and I'm going to try to encourage this to last for a long time. I'm going to make it last as long as I can"