By Tim Velder, Marketing Communications Specialist
Powder River Energy Corporation
Because adults in Johnson County are committed, the county’s youth have another safe alternative to illegal drugs and alcohol.
Local and national research data reveals that the time to keep drug and alcohol abuse out of the high school is when youth are in middle school.
Led by the Johnson County Family YMCA, the Buffalo area now has a safe and healthy activity for young people to enjoy once a month.
The YMCA, partnering with school and ministerial groups, hosts a Youth Night on one Friday per month.
YMCA Executive Director Michael Quast said the program is aimed at students ages 12 to 14. “Middle-school-aged students are highly susceptible to alcohol and drug experimentation,” Quast said. “The Youth Nights have been great.”
The YMCA opens its pool and gymnasium on alternating months, attracting up to 50 teens and pre-teens for two hours of games and prizes.
An 8th grade girl, who has been attending for three years said: “I love these youth nights because it gets me out of my house on a Friday night to do something different and fun with friends and other kids.”
A 7th grade boy, who has attended nearly all of the youth nights the past two years, said: “It’s just cool to come and get exercise and laugh and have fun.”
The Powder River Energy Foundation has donated $1,000 to the YMCA to cover the facility costs of holding one Youth Night. The Foundation, funded in part by donations from PRECorp’s Operation RoundUp program, saw a need to educate young people about the dangers of alcohol and drug use.
Quast said the focus of the Youth Nights not only gives the teens something to do, it offers them positive role models from the high school and peer interaction. Of course the quality of the snacks and prizes also helps draw a crowd, Quast added. “To help us offer that, we turn to different organizations,” he said.
A committee representing Buffalo Community Resource Center, Buffalo Middle School, Pastoral Association, and the Buffalo High School “Take It Back!” group, assist in the planning of the Youth Nights. They develop fun, educational, healthy, and safe activities.
The Foundation devotes its resources to support strong schools, a solid local economy, and safe and friendly neighborhoods, according to Executive Director Les Penning. Penning said the Operation RoundUp program is a key component of the Foundation’s giving power. The program enables PRECorp members to round up their monthly bill to the nearest whole dollar, averaging about 50 cents a month or about $6 per year per account.
“The average $6 annual donation may seem like small change, but when multiplied by the number of members in our service territory, it becomes small change that changes lives,” Penning said. “Together we can make a difference.”
