Centered on community's youths

Whitefish facility offers recreation alternatives

It's Teen Night at the Armory.

"We give more than we take," reads the poster inside the front door of the Roy Duff Memorial Armory on the east edge of Whitefish. It's advertising the Teen Night dances, but also represents the entire spirit of the Whitefish Community Center.

"When you give, you get three-fold back," Laura Blankenship said. As director of Whitefish CARE and executive director of the Whitefish Community Center, she's taking direct aim at local teens who feel they're on the outside of community acceptance.

She knows those teens not only need to receive, they need to give.

"So many people have not had that exposure," the opportunity to give, she said. "That's how you make leaders, and this world needs more leaders."

On this morning, Blankenship is perched on a folding chair alongside a couple of her own leaders gathered in their office off the armory gym. A sporadic flow of young people pops in for equipment needed for the skateboarding camp outside, for directions on what to do next, or for a quick hello.

It's an easy place to be, and an easy place to be active.

"Attitude is everything," a hand-lettered sign plastered to the wall behind Blankenship proclaims.

Messages are big at the community center.

Blankenship is big on giving out the message that kids matter.

When Blankenship started her part-time job with CARE in March 2005, it was her natural next move in years of working beyond the typical teen program.

In fact, by March 2005 she already had been working on a solution to a situation she had watched developing.

"I have four children, and I saw nothing for kids at risk," she said. "I saw incidents happening and said I'm going to do something about it."

That something, in her view, was to provide a place for teens to gather and positive activities to capture their interest. In January 2005 she pulled in police, school officials, counselors, builders, planners and others to get on board for what was to become the Whitefish Community Center.

City finance director Mike Eve put her in touch with options for using city buildings. Through that search, the armory eventually was offered when not otherwise in use.

Meanwhile, the Whitefish CARE board was looking for a new director. Blankenship was hired.

Partnership opportunities opened.

The community center works to develop sports programs and instill good sportsmanship in young children, while CARE works in the schools to educate students on tobacco, drugs, alcohol and healthy lifestyles. CARE is the center's connection into the schools. The center is the funding conduit for youth programs.

Today, Blankenship continues writing funding grants and providing the organizational brain power for both groups.

Judene Mathias, on the other hand, is the spark behind the programs.

An admitted former wild child, she knows why teens get into trouble - and it's usually because they don't know what else to do.

But, as Whitefish Community Center's youth activities coordinator, Mathias has the energy and personality to provide them plenty of options with strong guidance.

It started with Teen Night at the Wave, a hugely popular Friday night program that ran from December through March last year. The Wave program resumes this December, but Teen Night moved to the armory for the rest of the year. There, local and visiting teen bands play junior high dances on Friday nights and high school dances on Saturdays.

The Whitefish Community Center had its gala opening at the armory with an after-prom party this spring.

Mathias is the guiding light.

"We expect kids to be mature, so we treat them that way," Mathias said. "If there's a problem, we call them on that.

"That's what this is for, to come here and be mentored. A lot of them come from a broken home. They know what I stand for and what this program stands for and we hold to that."

She has become accustomed to kids policing behavior, to having them thank her for a place to skate or dance. But she never takes it for granted.

This summer, skateboard camp, art camp, outdoor discovery camp and more have drawn about 40 participants each.

Weeknights during the school year, Mathias will oversee open gym for children of all ages at Central School.

This fall, afterschool programs will kick in for fifth through eighth grades. Healthy snacks, brain gym, reading tutors, art and music sessions led by community volunteers, gym activities, water fun at The Wave and community service all figure into the picture.

First Presbyterian Church will hold a coffee house for junior and senior high students, where they can watch films, get some homework help and just hang out.

And a November art auction fundraiser is planned.

Shelle Kuntz - the youth director at First Presbyterian Church in Whitefish, its former nationwide youth director, a former teacher and now a community center volunteer - will begin as community center director this fall.

Youths will gather in churches, schools, the armory and other locations throughout town - a move designed to bring the kids into the community and the community to the kids.

That is a fulcrum of Blankenship's mission, perhaps demonstrated best by people such as Emily Jones.

Jones is a Whitefish High School senior, CARE board member, Key Club president and community center volunteer. She hopes to institute a permanent volunteer program in Key Club, and has her sights set on Whitefish Community Center as one outlet.

As an avid community volunteer, Jones knows how that service has changed her. She nods her agreement as Blankenship addresses the need to teach young people to give back by showing them the benefits of serving.

"It's really important to be part of that," Jones said. "It makes you grow up faster, but it's not one of those things that steals your childhood. It makes you realize the common needs, it expands your view of the world," she said.

"You realize there are a lot of people out there who care about you," Blankenship said. Yes, she added, kids love to have fun, but they also "realize each one is created for a unique experience in this world. We support them in finding that goal."

"It makes you just happy to be an individual," Jones said. "It doesn't take any more than energy."

Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com