Hard Rock Drop In Centre A Winner With Teens

FTLComm - Tisdale - Friday, February 22, 2002

Nothing to do and no where to go are a bad combination for a young person growing up. I remember as a father of three little boys I asked a wise and successful colleague what was the best thing I could do as a parent to give my boys the best chance of having successful lives. Without hesitation he told me without reservation, the key was to keep them busy. Give them lots of interesting things to do and to do things with them. Now it seems like simple advice and makes great sense but at the time it was a revelation to me. How could being an effective parent be so easy. The man was right and it was the best advice I ever had when it comes to being a parent. Young people need to be challenged, they need to follow their natural inquisitive nature and have the opportunity to explore themselves and what they are capable of doing. Our public school system does this and it should be one of the main goals of education, to let the young person busily do things that will fill his or her life with a series of purposeful and meaningful experiences. This week the schools in most of Saskatchewan schools were closed for a winter break and Tisdale's Salvation Army jumped in with an outstanding meaningful and purposeful project. Using this well located building only a couple of blocks from the high school, they opened the Hard Rock Drop In Centre with video games, a big screen television and a warm friendly atmosphere that made the young people feel comfortable and they tell me that the place was "Awesome." After all, young people do not need anything but a positive atmosphere to continue their exploration of their lives and abilities. The Salvation Army's open and positive attitude offered Tisdale's young people a haven of fun, opportunity and fellowship that made the week fly by. We salute the work of the Salvation Army once again in being right on the spot to support the community's young people. Timothy W. Shire