The Youth Center in Los Alamitos recently kicked off their 16th Annual Community Support Campaign called the “30 Day Marathon Challenge” on Feb. 19 to raised funds for its services for children. The campaign involves 64 volunteers and 20 board members who are reaching out to the community for a month with the goal to raise $100,000 for this year. The Youth Center is a non-profit solely funded through community donations.
Benefiting directly from the fundraiser is the no cost drop in After School Program, which offers games, sports, arts and crafts, movies and more in a safe, caring environment. Also benefiting are the Summer Day Camp program designed with working parents in mind offering games, sports, arts and crafts, and field trips, and a Teen Camp offering sports, outdoor activities and field trips as well. Additionally, other programs benefiting from the fundraiser include the Safe Rides program which offers high school students free rides home with no questions asked on the weekends, and “Every 15 minutes,” which is a two day dramatic and effective bi-annual event held on a high school campus demonstrating the tragic consequences of drinking and driving.
The Community Support Campaign saw about 100 people in attendance who enjoyed hearing the 4th and 5th grade Youth Center Band performing under the instruction of Tom Mitter. “Youth perform better academically by taking part in the Youth Center’s after school music classes,” he said. There was a buffet dinner served by community volunteers, along with a bar complete with wine, beer and sodas as well. Besides the after school music program, the Youth Center also hosts the Learning Center which helps students complete homework with help from adult staff and volunteer tutors who provide specialized assistance.
“We want to include every single child who needs us,” said Executive Director Lina Lumme. “We are here to help and give them whatever they need to succeed in life, to help them reach for the stars and dream big.”
The Community Support Campaign is chaired this year by Sean Payne, a vice president of the Los Alamitos Education Foundation, past chair and board member of the Precious Life Shelter, and past president and current board member of the Rotary Club. He’s known Lumme for 8 years, and has helped the Youth Center campaigning for the last 5 to 6 years.
“It takes a lot of planning and support to put on this event,” said Payne. “The theme, a ’30 Day Marathon Challenge’ is a great analogy for what we are doing.”
“The Youth Center is all about helping our community and kids, to get kids off the streets,” he continued. Currently, more than 100 students are helped in the Youth Center’s afterschool program, and no child is ever turned away from services for inability to pay, according to Lumme.
Recognized with a certificate at the Community Support Campaign kick-off for “Outstanding Local Business of 2013,” was Sir Speedy Printing, owned by Allen and Lauri McLean. Also noted was the Rotary Club, which already donated $1,000, and CostCo , which donated food to the event as well.
Speaking at the event was recent award winning youth volunteer and past Youth Center summer camp attendee, David Halafihi. “The Youth Center made it possible for me to go to Los Alamitos High School, and they taught me humility, respect and patience,” he said. “I can’t thank the Youth Center enough for all they did for me.”
Although the Youth Center’s Community Support Campaign began on Feb. 19, more volunteers and donations are still needed. If you are interested in joining the campaign, please call 562-493-4043. For additional information about the Youth Center, please visit them online at www.TheYouthCenter.org or email Executive Director Lina Lumme at Lina@TheYouthCenter.org.