Local residents and ministries will work together to give kids a place to learn, grow and just have fun.
Pastor Joe Panaia of the Bridging the Gap Ministries plans to open a Bridging the Gap Community Church and Youth Center this weekend for kids in the sixth through 12th grade. The center will open in the former Lasting Impressions bridal shop on Main Street and offer activities like arcade games, Internet, karaoke, movies, snacks, air hockey, foosball and quiet study areas for homework.
Panaia began working on the former bridal shop four months ago, the walls have been painted and furniture and arcade games have been added.
Panaia, who began ministering in Tea about a year ago after moving from Sioux Falls, said a youth center has been a goal of his.
“We want kids to stay out of trouble and have a safe place to go,” he said.
So far 13 adults have signed up to volunteer, but the center is looking for more. Tea resident Perry Edblom is one of the volunteers. Edblom has two kids – 13-year-old Gabrielle and 16-year-old Caleb – who will spend time at the youth center.
“(A youth center) is something I always thought every community could do,” Edblom said. “We all get caught up in the things of the world, including me, but the kids really are our future. We want to have kids drive by with their kids and say that this place made a difference.”
The youth center will be Christian based, and Panaia said he wants the high school students to help lead Bible studies each week. The center is nondenominational, and there’s no pressure.
“We’re just showing how to walk the walk instead of talk the talk,” Edblom said.
The kids at the center will work on service projects such as shoveling snow, raking leaves or mowing lawns to assist Tea residents.
“I need to give back and pay it forward,” he said. “That’s our main thing here, is to pay it forward.”
The need for such a center is great in Tea, Pastor Tom Stadem said. Stadem is the youth pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, where the youth focus is strongest on Wednesday nights. Trinity has confirmation-related activities for the age groups Panaia’s efforts will target from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., but the rest of the week is open, Stadem said.
“On those Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, we know there are kids available, whether they’re latch-key kids or kids that aren’t involved in the extracurricular activities,” Stadem said.
As a member of the Tea community, Stadem said the need for a safe, supervised environment for teens is apparent. As more parents work two jobs and spend less time at home, the need for guidance becomes greater, he said.
“That’s a target group that everyone is concerned about,” Stadem said. “We’ve had that conversation quite a bit.”
Panaia said he has received plenty of positive support from the community already.
A rummage sale fund-raiser brought in money for the center, and volunteers handed out bottles of water during Teapot Days for a free will donation. That same day, Panaia said about 150 kids and their parents stopped by the center.
LG donated the television and Wal-Mart provided a $100 gift card for to purchase things like toilet paper, garbage cans and a table. Volunteers are still accepting donations.
The center’s parking lot will double as a skate park. The park will only be open to youth who have had parents sign a release form. From there a membership card will be given at no cost.
An adult will monitor the park at all times and helmets and pads will be required.
Panaia said he hopes to host family nights at least once a week to include younger kids.
Future plans for the center include a sand volleyball court and a sanctuary addition.