Teen center offers fun for youth Published March 3, 2010 By Senior Airman Benjamin Wilson 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Teen centers on Spangdahlem Air Base and Bitburg Annex offer younger Sabers a safe and fun place to wind down and feel at home. Both teen centers are open to youth aged 9 to 18 years 2:30 - 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours Friday at Bitburg until 10:00 p.m. for teens only. The facilities on both bases include equipment and game systems members can use for free. "We have pool tables, a ping-pong table, playstation, X-box, Wii, movies, a karaoke machine and a snack bar," said Sarah Williams, program manager for youth programs. "Anything and everything you could think of, we have." If youth wish to gain access to all these resources and more, they can apply to become a member by picking up a registration packet at the front desk of the center, and returning the completed packet with a $24 registration fee. The first visit it is free, Mrs. Williams said. Any visits for non-members after that are covered by a $2 admittance charge. The teen centers are important to the community because they give youth a place to hang out and call their own, said Donni Baase, coordinator of youth and teen services. In addition to being a fun and safe place to hang out, the teen centers offer various programs to increase character and leadership skills. "We love having our teens in, and we use them as much as we possibly can as leaders and mentors for the younger children," Mrs. Williams said. "One program that we have for our high school students is Keystone, a branch of Boys and Girls Club of America," she said. "They do a lot of volunteering throughout the community, as well as work toward a national project that competes in the U.S." Young Sabers don't need to be members of a club to enjoy activities the center has to offer. The center hosts a sports night the first and third Friday of every month, as well as other various special events. "We average 70-85 children a visit per week between both centers," said Mrs. Williams. "We want the teens in our building, but we need to hear what they want from us so we can better serve them." Recruiting more members is a top priority right now, Mrs. Baase said. "We need more feedback and information from the teens so we know how to better serve them," she said. For more information about teen center programs or registration, call DSN 452-9206 for Bitburg, or DSN 452-6244 for Spangdahlem.