COM 0676.002 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Joel Cohen & Phyllis Tarail PO Box 5022 Kukuihaele HI 96727 I " I ~ " ~ March 10, 2006 Councilman Fred Holschuh, Chair of the Nonprofit Grant Review Committee Committee Members, Aloha, In December 2005, we became members of the rejuvenated YWCA Hamakua Youth Center Advisory Committee, just as the Youth Center was on the verge of having to close its doors permanently due to funding and staffing issues. This valuable community facility actually closed for 2 weeks. However, with the support and personal involvement of the Advisory Committee and other community supporters, the Youth Center is quickly becoming a model for other communities to emulate. We recognized the importance of this valuable facility, located less than a block from Honoka'a High and Intermediate School, as a sanctuary that provides a fun and safe place for youth to go after school. This helps keep them from getting involved with alcohol and drugs and unhealthy life styles. As we have been actively involved in a number of community organizations in Hamakua for the past four (4) years, including Power of Choice- Hamakua, avolunteer-based group that has been recognized for its substance abuse prevention efforts, we feel that this facility provides a critical preventive resource in our community. A visit to the Center soon reveals the feelings of excitement, genuine enthusiasm and positive energy coming from the youth and from the adult program coordinator and volunteers. This is a fun place to be! Our Youth Center is the only program and facility of its type in North Hawaii. It has a pool table, a ping pong table, computer stations, a TV, as well as areas to do homework or just relax and have fun listening to music and/or dancing. Both boys and girls attend the center with 40-60 youth participating daily after school. There is only one paid staff person, supplemented by adult volunteer leaders-a good bang-for-the-buck. This is truly a community and volunteer supported program that serves the youth of our community extremely well. The 16 volunteer Advisory Committee members are all personally committed to keeping the Center alive and well. All the members have the energy and enthusiasm plus the organizational capabilities to make the Youth Center a continuing success story. Two of the Committee members are youth that regularly attend the Youth Center and these youth are key to providing programs that the youth want. comm. No. . Z. Ref. To: Ra~f. Date 1