New Youth Center Celebrates Grand Opening May 13

Youth and teens in western Rockingham County will have a place to call their own when the new West Rockingham Community Youth Center officially opens its doors on May 13. The center, located at 115 W. Hunter Street in Madison, N.C., is operated by West Rockingham Youth Ministry (WRYM) as a safe community space for 5th to 12th graders to hang out with friends, play a game, have a snack, study or use a computer.

The community is invited to the grand opening celebration from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., which begins with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the West Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, followed by a block party with live music, games, prize giveaways, face painting and inflatables. Hot dogs, snow cones, cupcakes and beverages will also be offered. In addition, there will be a presentation by The Hands of God, an ecumenically run food pantry.

"Our community is growing, and the need for a secure place for youth to call their own is vital. We want to nourish their gifts and provide outlets for their creativity," said the Rev. Garrett Collins, Parish Associate for the youth center and the lead pastor at Maydan United Methodist Church. "When youth walk through the doors of the youth center, we hope that they will find something that sparks their imagination."

The youth center is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. as a free space where kids can drop in, and there are small group meetings with an emphasis on mission work on Sundays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Various amenities are available, including computers, printers, Wi-Fi, video and board games, healthy snacks, musical instruments, art supplies, STEM products and a study room. Volunteers will include tutors, artists and counselors.

WRYM is also open to partnering with local groups that need space for meetings, gatherings or workshops.

The West Rockingham Missional Network of United Methodist Churches was the launch point for the youth center, with a core group of youth providing input about what they would want in a youth ministry. From community members, they learned that food security and internet access are issues faced by many youths in the community.

"We thank the trustees of Madison United Methodist Church and some of our initial youth for renovating our space," said Collins. "While we are UMC led, our youth come from a variety of faith backgrounds."

"We see this as a two-fold ministry. We think there is a lot to be gained from youth who attend our more traditional 'youth' on Sundays. However, we think it is a major success if a teenager walks through those doors just once and feels safe for a couple of hours while sharing a snack and working on a project with their peers," he added. "The goal of West Rockingham Ministry is to be a hub for youth work in the community. We want to work with other organizations to provide volunteer opportunities, internships and counseling for teenagers. We hope that as this grows, community leaders will be invited into the space to talk to youth about opportunities a young person might be unaware of."

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About West Rockingham Youth Ministry

West Rockingham Youth Ministry, a youth organization for all teenagers in the community, is an extension ministry of United Methodist churches in western Rockingham County.