Letter to the Editor, Posted: 5/5/04
TO THE EDITOR:
Every Sunday between Oct. 19, 2003 and April 4, 2004, an average of 26 youth gathered at North Branch Middle School from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. for Open Gym. With 237 participants, Open Gym was an overwhelming success.
Participants came primarily to play basketball, and often came with teammates from their school basketball teams to practice their skills. Other youth would come just for the fun and enjoyed playing pick-up games of basketball and games of "HORSE" or "PIG." Volleyball was also a popular activity throughout Open Gym. Whatever their activity choice, the youth seemed to enjoy themselves and many of them continued to come back on a weekly basis.
The youth that participated in Open Gym loved the program. One youth said ìI wouldnít change a thing about it!î Another said "I come almost every Sunday because my friends are there and itís fun to practice." Others looked at Open Gym as a great opportunity to stay healthy; one youth commented "I come back to get better at the game and to try and stay in shape."
Open Gym provided a free opportunity for youth to interact with friends, as well as to meet new youth. Parents also enjoyed the opportunity to get out on the courts and interact with their youth in the different activities.
The success of Open Gym was largely due to the efforts of the supervisors that worked each week to interact with the youth. A special thank you to Matt Howard, Anne Thom, and Nathan Stanley for all of their dedication to the youth of the North Branch Community. Also, a sincere thank you to Jeff Yaw who volunteered his time to interact with youth at several of the Open Gym sessions.
Open Gym was sponsored by the Youth Service Bureau and North Branch Community Education. For information on other upcoming programs for youth in the North Branch area, please call Carrie Dobie at (651) 464-3685 or send e-mails to Carrie.Dobie@ysblakesarea.org.
Carrie Dobie
Forest Lake Youth Service Bureau
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