The Place celebrates 35th anniversary of beginning to shape area youth
NORWICH – Occupying a unique role in the Norwich community, The Place has been providing fellowship, childcare and supplemental education for children and teens for 35 years, and with strong enrollment, is looking forward to many more.
Formally known as The Christian Neighborhood Center of Norwich, The Place was born in 1982 when Rev. Scott Kavanaugh, pastor of First Baptist Church near the Chenango County Courthouse, saw teens in West Park with nowhere to go and nothing to do, finding trouble just outside his church’s doors. He recognized a need for young people to have a place to safely socialize after school, one that emphasized self-respect, dignity, belonging and stewardship. As an alternative to trouble in the streets, he made space available to the teens in the church, and the drop-in center that came to be known as The Place was born.
Early on, strong attendance numbers demonstrated how needed The Place was, at one point reaching 19 percent of the area’s youth population. Yet in 1985, when The Place received the Presidential Recognition Award from President Ronald Reagan, founder Rev. Kavanaugh simply stated, “Our goal is to reach a small group of kids significantly.”
Over time, The Place expanded. They outgrew the two rooms at First Baptist Church and moved to the Norwich FOE building on East Main Street. Today the original Teen Program is just one of several programs The Place offers to area youth.
To reach elementary aged youth, the Kids Program provides before- and after-school care and homework help, as well as all-day programming during school breaks. Meals and snacks help ensure that the children’s bodies are nourished as they develop study skills, life skills, and make friends.
April Reese, a board member and parent, sees firsthand the value of the Kids Program. She says, “I love The Place and would recommend it to anyone. I like the fact that the Kids Program has structure and the children are not just running wild. There is homework time and different activities to keep the children busy so they don’t have time to get bored. I also like that they bring in different groups, like Cornell Cooperative Extension and 4H, helping the children learn different things.”
For teens and young adults, the Summer Youth Employment Program partners with the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to provide paid work experience and job-readiness training to TANF eligible people between 14 and 21 years old. Job sites across the county have included the county fairgrounds, the Historical Society, the Rogers Center, and more.
The fourth major program is the Chenango Youth Philanthropy Council, which teaches high school juniors and seniors about volunteerism and nonprofits, and gives them the opportunity to fund real programs in Chenango County through an RFP process. This unique program exists in collaboration with the Chenango United Way.
The mission statement that The Place developed in its early years expresses an intention “to love all youth as they are and help them reach their full potential as they become responsible, contributing members of society.” Current Executive Director Sharon Vesely says that that guiding principle continues to shape the programs The Place offers.
“We meet a need for working families who want to be sure their children are cared for and supported outside of school hours,” Ms. Vesely states, “but we also develop personal relationships with each child and teen, meeting them where they are in their development, and providing programming that helps them grow and prepare for the world. We care about our participants and are focused on helping them to be their best.”
Lois LoPresti, the current president of the Board of Directors, states, “Thirty-three years ago Rev. Scott Kavanaugh gave me my first job right out of college at The Place. From that moment I became a firm supporter of the mission and the services The Place has to offer. Both my daughters worked or volunteered at The Place. I could not be prouder of the programs The Place offers the youth of our community.”
Because so many families and individuals have been impacted by The Place over the past 35 years, The Place will celebrate this special anniversary with a gathering on June 8, 2018 at the Northeast Classic Car Museum. Tickets are available for $35 each or $65 per couple. The night will include dinner and entertainment, and a chance for attendees to reminisce and see how far The Place has come.
For tickets or sponsorship information, call 607-336-9696.
Formally known as The Christian Neighborhood Center of Norwich, The Place was born in 1982 when Rev. Scott Kavanaugh, pastor of First Baptist Church near the Chenango County Courthouse, saw teens in West Park with nowhere to go and nothing to do, finding trouble just outside his church’s doors. He recognized a need for young people to have a place to safely socialize after school, one that emphasized self-respect, dignity, belonging and stewardship. As an alternative to trouble in the streets, he made space available to the teens in the church, and the drop-in center that came to be known as The Place was born.
Early on, strong attendance numbers demonstrated how needed The Place was, at one point reaching 19 percent of the area’s youth population. Yet in 1985, when The Place received the Presidential Recognition Award from President Ronald Reagan, founder Rev. Kavanaugh simply stated, “Our goal is to reach a small group of kids significantly.”
Over time, The Place expanded. They outgrew the two rooms at First Baptist Church and moved to the Norwich FOE building on East Main Street. Today the original Teen Program is just one of several programs The Place offers to area youth.
To reach elementary aged youth, the Kids Program provides before- and after-school care and homework help, as well as all-day programming during school breaks. Meals and snacks help ensure that the children’s bodies are nourished as they develop study skills, life skills, and make friends.
April Reese, a board member and parent, sees firsthand the value of the Kids Program. She says, “I love The Place and would recommend it to anyone. I like the fact that the Kids Program has structure and the children are not just running wild. There is homework time and different activities to keep the children busy so they don’t have time to get bored. I also like that they bring in different groups, like Cornell Cooperative Extension and 4H, helping the children learn different things.”
For teens and young adults, the Summer Youth Employment Program partners with the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to provide paid work experience and job-readiness training to TANF eligible people between 14 and 21 years old. Job sites across the county have included the county fairgrounds, the Historical Society, the Rogers Center, and more.
The fourth major program is the Chenango Youth Philanthropy Council, which teaches high school juniors and seniors about volunteerism and nonprofits, and gives them the opportunity to fund real programs in Chenango County through an RFP process. This unique program exists in collaboration with the Chenango United Way.
The mission statement that The Place developed in its early years expresses an intention “to love all youth as they are and help them reach their full potential as they become responsible, contributing members of society.” Current Executive Director Sharon Vesely says that that guiding principle continues to shape the programs The Place offers.
“We meet a need for working families who want to be sure their children are cared for and supported outside of school hours,” Ms. Vesely states, “but we also develop personal relationships with each child and teen, meeting them where they are in their development, and providing programming that helps them grow and prepare for the world. We care about our participants and are focused on helping them to be their best.”
Lois LoPresti, the current president of the Board of Directors, states, “Thirty-three years ago Rev. Scott Kavanaugh gave me my first job right out of college at The Place. From that moment I became a firm supporter of the mission and the services The Place has to offer. Both my daughters worked or volunteered at The Place. I could not be prouder of the programs The Place offers the youth of our community.”
Because so many families and individuals have been impacted by The Place over the past 35 years, The Place will celebrate this special anniversary with a gathering on June 8, 2018 at the Northeast Classic Car Museum. Tickets are available for $35 each or $65 per couple. The night will include dinner and entertainment, and a chance for attendees to reminisce and see how far The Place has come.
For tickets or sponsorship information, call 607-336-9696.
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