Representatives from The Salvation Army, The Liberty Bank Foundation, local politicians, local agency leaders, and local Salvation Army donors will be on hand to celebrate the "official opening" of the new Teen Center.
The center started operating in March 2011, and the center has had over 100 different teens enter through its doors already. The "official grand opening celebration" is scheduled for Thursday, between 4:00 and 6:00 PM.
Teens have access to video games and computers. They can play table games - ping pong, pool, air hockey, and foosball. There is an outdoor basketball hoop for the teens to use in the back parking lot. The teens can just hang out, socialize, or maybe even do their homework.
Food is always a large part of any Salvation Army program and the Teen Center is no exception. "Teens love to eat, so we feed them," said Major Starkey. "We always serve them something. Maybe it's sandwiches, hotdogs, or pizza, but so far I haven't had any complaints! We hope to expand the dinner portion of the center when the program starts up again in September with the start of the new school year."
The Army provides a safe environment, but there are a few rules. There is always adult supervision and the Army is always looking for additional adult volunteers. The kids are asked to sign in and to sign out, but basically they are free to participate in whatever activities they like.
The center operates Thursdays from 3 P.M. to 8 P.M. and Fridays 4 P.M. till 9 P.M.
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