DRAYTON – Since Sept. 24, 1999, the Drayton Youth Centre (DYC) has provided a place for youth to spend time, socialize and participate in a range of activities.
It began in the basement of the former Drayton Pentecostal Church, but soon outgrew that space and relocated to its current home at 21 Wellington St.
And as it approaches its 25th anniversary, officials are planning a community event to celebrate.
The DYC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration will take place in downtown Drayton on Sept. 13 from 6 to 9pm. There will be an escape room tent, games with prizes, a Waddies game, barbecue, fire truck show, and entertainment from Chuckles Balloons.
Chuckles is a clown and balloon artist “who started off when he was 11,” DYC co-chair Dahl Atin told the Community News.
“Now he’s in high school, he’s got his own little business dressing up as a clown. He’s really good.”
The Kinsmen will be supporting the event with a wing night, Atin added.
The celebration will also be an opportunity for “people to come through the centre and become more familiar with it,” she said.
Youth drop-in
Youth are invited to visit the centre on Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 to 9pm, where they can play pool, air hockey, basketball arcade, Nintendo Wii U, card games, board games or crack out the craft supplies.
“Lately we’ve been having some younger girls come by who just love doing crafts,” said Atin, who has been involved with the centre since 1999.
The centre is open to youth of all ages, with no maximum age cut off, but officials ask that anyone under 12 bring a caregiver or sibling over 18.
Atin said one youth described the centre as “her second home.”
“It’s a place to get out of the house – get out and do things,” Atin said.
Some kids don’t know anyone when they first join, she said, but quickly make friends, joining in with activities such as shooting baskets or pool.
Volunteers
There are two volunteers present during each drop-in – “caring people who really just get to know the kids, and their stories, and play games with them,” Atin said.
Some volunteers attended the centre themselves as youths.
And the volunteers include “one of our Syrian refugee families,” Atin added.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DYC was open three evenings a week, but organizers had to cut back to two due to a shortage of volunteers.
“We are always looking for more volunteers,” Atin said, and if enough people sign up, the centre could go back to being open three times a week.
DYC has 17 current volunteers.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact board members at draytonyouthcentre@gmail.com.
Volunteers need to provide a police check and go through an interview process. Atin said ideal volunteers are “people who care about kids” and who want to provide mentorship and support.
“Basically, you become a friend to them. Because they are a really good group of children,” Atin said.
The volunteer time commitment is two to three hours on one evening a month, from 7pm onwards.
Community support
“It helps to be local to Drayton,” she noted. “Then you know the community better.”
While the youth centre has a Christian foundation and is supported by local churches, Christianity is not a focus during the drop in, Atin said.
A Christian value system with principles such as “be good to others” guides the centre, Atin explained, “rather than the theology.”
The centre’s primary supporter is the Drayton Reform Church, she said.
Funding also comes from an annual hockey tournament in November and donations from other churches, businesses and community members.
“We just had an email and letter campaign, and pulled in about $5,000 from donations from businesses and individuals in the community,” Atin said. “It’s really cool how people see the need to have the centre. It’s very heartwarming for me.”
The centre also lost a few board members during the pandemic, Atin noted, leaving her and volunteer coordinator Brian Kamm to run things alone.
“People said we should close down” due to the drastic drop in numbers, Atin said, “but Brian and I stuck it out.
Now, she said the board is back up to seven members, and its finances are looking good.
So Atin and Kamm are taking that as a sign the centre is in good hands for them to retire, and have both announced their resignations for Sept. 30. They’re currently training board members to take over their responsibilities, including incoming volunteer coordinator Brenda Elizuk.
