Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
More than 175 teens spent Friday night at the YMCA for Teen Night.
They played basketball and soccer, they "sumo-wrestled" and the girls even had makeovers.
Teen Nights are held once a month at the YMCA, though the activity is only an all-night event three times a year.
"We draw big crowds for these," said Ryan Finney, YMCA teen and family director. The main focus of the nights, he said, is to keep kids off the streets. They have a quality staff from Grace College and local youth ministries to help with the programs and to supervise.
Friday's lock-in also featured a guest speaker - Scott Distler, a pastor at a church in Osceola who works for Christian Education National, handling all the youth ministry at Grace College. Finney said he gave the youth "a great message."
A grant from the Governor's Council on a Drug-Free Indiana helps provide funds for the Teen Nights. Local service organizations, such as the Optimist Clubs, also sponsor the nights. Printing Plus helps with the printing needs for the event and Pizza King and Papa John's provide food. Reneker's Sports Shop provides plaques.
"It's a community project," said Finney. "We can't do it all on our own."
The kids themselves, ages 13 to 16, come from all over Kosciusko County. The YMCA can handle up to 300 kids at the Teen Night and has 20 to 30 volunteers assisting with the programs, many of them Grace College students.
"The neat thing about Grace College kids," said Finney, "is that they have the heart to do it."
The Teen Nights are planned by the volunteers and the teens. Discussion on Friday's Teen Night began last summer and planning began after their last Teen Night.
"Every month the kids can change what's going on," said Finney. "There's a lot of need for programs like this."
In the future, he said, he'd like to have an after-hours program for older teens and young adults. He'd also like to see the program expand to provide more space for the community to get involved. Volunteers and donations are always welcomed.
"We need volunteers for everything from registration to guest speaking," said Finney.
And regardless of what the teens are doing - playing games, doing makeovers or just enjoying pizza - Finney said the good thing about the program is the fellowship that is developed between the teens and the volunteers.
For more information about volunteering or donating to the program, call 269-YMCA.
