Youth center strives to keep children, teens engaged

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman R. Michael Longoria
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The holiday season is upon us and soon parents will have children and teens lying around the house saying, "I'm bored."

The Grand Forks Air Force Base Youth Center is offering numerous programs to help battle that boredom.

"We offer the School Age Program, Summer Camps, Youth Sports and Fitness, Instructional Classes, Preteen/Teen Programming (Open Recreation), 4-H and Boys and Girls Clubs of America Programs, and so much more," said Dawn Thompson, 319th Force Support Squadron Youth Programs director.

In addition to the programs it already has established, the youth center has added two winter camps to the list.

The first camp will be held the Dec. 28 to 30 for youths 13 to 18. During this Winter Adventure Camp, youth will participate in activities to teach team building, outdoor survival skills, fundamentals of cross country skiing and ice fishing. A similar camp will be held in February 2010 for children 9 to 12 year olds.

Both camps will focus on cold-weather survival and winter time leisure activities.

These camps were made possible with help from the 319th FSS Outdoor Recreation and support of the Year of the Air Force Family.

"We continue to focus on the quality and consistency of our programs," said Ms. Thompson. "Air Mobility Command and the [Year of the Air Force Family] have graciously provided the support to accomplish that goal."

The fun won't stop when the snow melts either.

The youth center has also planned two summer Outdoor Adventure Camps. One will be in June 2010 for youths 13 to 18 and another in July 2010 for children 9 to 12. The youth will travel to Itasca State Park in Minnesota to participate in camping, canoeing, back packing and outdoor survival activities.

Children with a deployed parent or parents will receive the first opportunity to register.

"We strive to meet the interests and needs of all youth," Shannon Dauber, AMC youth specialist. "We also strive to assist Airmen in performing their duties more effectively by providing support for their children while they are deployed."

For more information, call (701) 747-3151 or visit http://www.gf-services.com/new/youth.htm.