Local responses to youth center/hostel idea

No more input has come in response to my series on a youth center/hostel for Nanty Glo since yesterday's entry, so I'll simply report the two previous posts received.

The first respondent wrote in response to a specific request from me:

I can't really give an answer based on experience. I haven't traveled as extensively as you have. However, anything that would facilitate tourism in the area would be welcomed. The Canteen idea would be great for me.

When you talked of the restaurants and drinking coffee it brought back a lot of memories. Several people have tried to get restaurants started lately but all have failed.

The teens of today are much more mobile than we were. The malls and other out-of-town attractions seem to draw them away. I do a lot of my walking at night and am surprised at how empty the streets are even on weekends.

As for people from out of the area, I have noticed some. Perhaps, with a place to sleep over, there would be more.

The other response came to the more general request for feedback.

Living [a few miles out of Nanty Gol], maybe I shouldn't be expressing my opinion re: the proposed Nanty Glo youth center, but you did ask for opinions and suggestions so....Here is a suggestion or two.

I like the idea of a youth center and I think you (they) might start by having teen dances every other week at the firehall. If they are successful, maybe a dance could be held every week for a while. A small admission could be charged to pay for use of the hall and pay chaperones (if no volunteers can be found). All would benefit, kids have someplace to go and the fire company gets a few dollars. If the dances are a success, get in touch with with your old newspaper buds back here and have a questionnaire published in the local papers for kids, parents, the whole community, to fill out and return to an address or a designated place such as the library.

Some possible questions: Would you support a youth center? What kind of programs and facilities would you like to see in place, etc.

I admire your optimism regarding a youth center/hostel, but you and I and most of the people we know that share our age bracket grew up in a kinder, more gentle social environment than some of these kids are exposed to today. While in nursing school (1992-'93) I did a clinical rotation at Torrence State Hospital (Blairsville) and was absolutely apalled to learn the average age of a patient there was 35 years and most of those were there due to burnout from drugs and alcohol.

I don't pretend to have any answers to today's youth problems, but, like you, I think we need to start somewhere and maybe with the older teens the approach might seem "hokey," but if the objective is aimed at the 10-12-13-yr-olds, it just might fly. I hope so.

However, on a lighter note, in glancing at a recent Tribune-Democrat, the honor roll lists are extensive, many hundreds of kids from numerous school districts are on the honor roll so, we can assume that lots of kids, parents and teachers are doing something right.

I wish you luck with this endeavor and I hope it succeeds. I absolutely love Nanty-Glo (there's that hyphen again...lol). Although I was [from] Jackson Twp., most of my social life centered around that great little town and it saddens me to see it so forgotten looking. Keep up the good work.

Any more input is still welcomed.

Tomorrow, David should be back again, then on to other things on Monday.

Next flight to Egypt

Terri asked her Sunday school class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories. She was puzzled by Kyle's picture, which showed four people on an airplane, so she asked him which story it was meant to represent. "The flight to Egypt," said Kyle. "I see .. And that must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus," Ms Terri said. "But who's the fourth person?"

"Oh, that's Pontius—the Pilot!"

Good Thoughts