Connection Seeks Community Support

The Connection Youth Center, an area faith-based non-profit organization, recently purchased and is remodeling the former Congregational Church building to allow a bigger space for youth to spend time and participate in productive activities. Thanks to a $10,000 Gianforte Family Foundation award and a raffle last year that was very successful, thanks to local business support, the new space is expected to be open by August of this year.

Community support and assistance is needed in order to make the opening in August happen. Since the building is a former church, lots of remodeling and demo work need to be completed in order for the space to be open and utilized for area youth and meeting groups. In order for this to occur, more funds and volunteers are needed to realize the organizations vision.

The Connection began eight years ago as a joint venture between multiple local pastors and is now its own faith-based nonprofit organization. It aims to establish a safe and adult-supervised environment for students. According to Director Travis Kirchdoerfer, after school until about 5:30 to 6 in the evening is the most dangerous time for school-age students as they have more freedom and are sometimes not held accountable for their actions without adult supervision.

Currently, in order to combat unsupervised children, the Connection provides a meal on Wednesdays, followed with biblical teaching and games in-between. On Fridays, they provide the opportunity for children to spend time with each other in productive ways in a supervised environment.

The new building provides the ability to have youth be in a more secluded and bigger area, where they can run around, get together and remain in a safe place for area youth to spend time with each other. There are many activities for youth to partake in including video games, air hockey and foosball. The space can also be utilized for birthday parties and program meetings. Once the new area is open, Kirchdoerfer hopes to provide an after school program three days a week.

If you would like to donate money to the cause, there is an account open at Valley Bank. If you would like to donate your time in helping Kirchdoerfer demo and remodel or have any questions, you can contact him at 406-230-2758. Right now the most immediate need is in painting and moving.