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Harold Gramstad of the Elk River Lions Club with designs for <br />the new youth center. (Photo by Don Heinzman) <br /> <br />Youth center construction <br />will begin soon in park <br /> <br />by Don Heinzman <br />Editor <br /> Ground soon will be broken <br />for a 12,000-square-foot youth <br />center in <br />Lions <br />Community <br />Park in Elk <br />River. <br />The Elk <br />River Lions <br />Club has <br />pledged <br />$150,000 for <br />the facility, Phil Jachowiz <br />which is <br />expected to cost $500,000. <br /> Daryl Thompson, chair of the <br />organizing committee, said, <br />"We have visited with the <br />bank officials and they are <br />interested in working with <br />US." <br /> An Elk River chapter of the <br />Boys a.n.d -~- Girls \~Club · of <br />America is. 15~ing'? fgrm'~d~'to <br />program ~hctivi'tie~:'.for the <br />drop-in center for youth. <br /> Plans are under way to raise <br />$200,000 to start the chapter. <br /> ~We are in the process of <br />working on some fund raisers <br />and hopefully we will kick <br />them oft after March 4," <br />Thompson said. <br /> Phil Jachowiz, regional <br />director of the Boys and Girls <br />Club of America, was in Elk <br />River last week. He said 200 <br />Boys and Girls Clubs were <br />organized in the country last <br />year. Another 200 are being <br />organized this year. <br /> In Minnesota, Boys and Girls <br />Club chapters are being <br /> <br />planned in Rochester and Red <br />Wing. <br /> Once a club is chartered, <br />grants are available, said <br />Jachowiz. <br /> The drop-in program is <br />directed to youngsters in <br />grades seven to 12. <br /> Jachowiz said the teens want <br />to be in a separate facility and <br />to be served separately after <br />school. <br /> The Elk River facility would <br />have a gym, computer room, <br />counseling rooms, a game <br />room, education room, arts <br />room and office space. <br /> Why are there so many com- <br />munities starting clubs? <br /> Jachowiz said these days <br />every kid is at risk. <br /> "If kids are le~ alone, they <br />will find opportunities to do <br />something," he said. <br /> The local board makes the <br />d~'C~Si0ns'for ~ach chapter; the <br />national organization is more <br />of a support group. <br /> Charlie Blesener, who is the <br />community education director, <br />questioned if the Boys and <br />Girls Club will duplicate some <br />of the programs in place in <br />this area. <br /> He asked what kinds of <br />needs assessments have been <br />made. <br /> John Fitzgerald, a member <br />of the committee organizing a <br />local chapter, said the facility <br />and Boys and Girls Club chap- <br />ter should enhance every <br />youth program in Elk River. <br /> Thompson said that the club <br />has its 501 C-3 status. <br /> <br /> <br />