Youth going UnderGrounD

MEEKER I Ask anyone over the age of 10 what there is for young people to do in Meeker and you’re likely to get a blank stare. With the exception of high school sports or going to the pool, there are few youth-friendly evening activities in rural communities.
Pastor Aaron Zelinske and the Meeker Assembly of God aim to change that. If you’ve driven past the church on Market Street in the last year or so, you’ve seen the construction process underway. This past week, church member Art Cox was busy hanging a new sign to announce the grand opening of The UnderGrounD.
The UnderGrounD will be open to youth in grades 7-12 beginning this Friday, Feb. 11, from 7-10 p.m., and each Friday thereafter. Graduates are welcome during the summer after graduation before the next school year starts.
Over the past 18 months, the congregation has transformed the church basement into a place for young people to gather for games and food. “We have pool, darts, air-hockey, foosball, ping-pong, Playstation2, X Box, Wii, cards, dice, dominoes and a variety of board games. There is also a café where kids can buy snacks and drinks,” Zelinske said.
There’s no charge for admission or any of the games. Kids can bring their own video games but those games will need to be approved by UnderGrounD staff members before they are played.
For safety, a security camera system has been installed both inside and outside the UnderGrounD and will be in use during the hours of operation.
Parents or community members who have questions are asked to call Zelinske at 878-3510 or stop by.
“The community can best help us at this point by praying for us and encouraging the youth to come on Friday nights to enjoy the place that was created just for them,” Zelinske said.
The grand opening for the UnderGround (complete with free pizza) is this Friday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m.