Church holds ribbon cutting at new space for youth

When Life Impact Church pastor Trent Arneson prepared for a move into the church’s new location at 1733 H Street in the Cost Cutter plaza, he was confronted with a community need. Driving into the Cost Cutter plaza parking lot, he’d see kids hanging out underneath overhangs in front of closed businesses.

“I’d see kids roaming around with nothing to do. We’ve got to come up with something for these teenagers,” he said.

Arneson partnered with Jesse Creydt, president of the Healthy Youth Coalition, and they started working on bringing youth activities to the extra space at the new church.

The church opened in its new location in December, and activities at its Youth Center are just beginning. The center has a 65-inch TV, foosball, air hockey and space for other programming.

Life Impact started a pantry stocked mostly with non-food items such as toiletries and hygiene kits. The space even has a shower for homeless youth.

The YMCA is running free programs from 3 to 6 p.m. on Mondays. The programming will be driven by what kids want and need, said Kristina Pollard, YMCA coordinator. Options range from recreational activities to career-readiness and life skills programs.

Glenn Tuski, former Blaine Elementary School librarian, plans to host musical jam sessions, and life skills teacher Amber Burling is working to bring a Bellingham-based music program for special needs students to the space once a week.

Local boy scouts have started meeting in the space, and it’s available to other groups as well.

“We want to make sure these kids have a permanent place to feel like they can come and hang out,” Arneson said. “We just want them to come in and feel like it’s a place of their own.”