Fun in the Sun

     There are lots of jokes about Alaska's weather patterns:

• Alaska has 2 seasons: Winter and Mosquito
• Alaska has 2 seasons: Winter and Tourist
• Alaska has 2 seasons: Winter and Construction

So on and so on.  While they may be a slight exaggeration most years, this year we have skipped spring entirely and moved from Winter to Summer in the blink of an eye.  In one week our highs went from being in the 40s to being in the 80s.  In one week the trees went from bare to full bloom.  In one week we went from parkas to shorts.  It has been incredible.

     Usually summer is the season that Joel's Place empties out.  Youth who have been fighting cabin fever are released outdoors to be called back inside in August.  Older youth are pursuing summer jobs while the younger ones want to do their tricks and their runs in the sun instead of inside our hot warehouse.  There were weeks last summer when we only had 2-5 kids visit us every day.  Let me just say, it is hard to sell vision and investment to staff or community members when there are only 2-5 kids around the building.

     This summer is headed in a different direction for a few reasons.  First and foremost is the upgrade of our outdoor facility. The parking lot is paved.  Next week will see the fencing completed.  The week after that, we should have a full-size basketball court and a full-size volleyball court ready to go.  A week after that we are getting new outdoor ramps, thanks to Fairbanks Youth Sports.  All this will be in time to celebrate National Go Skateboarding Day on June 21.  More on that event later.  Already we have scores of kids hanging around Joel's Place and setting up their own obstacles on the pavement.  They are laughing and leaping and having an amazing time in the sun, and doing all that at a place that is free of violence and illegal substances.

     The second reason we have higher attendance is our Scooter population.  Inline Scooters are like thin skateboards with only two wheels and a long handle at the front.  The kids ride, leap and flip around as they learn new tricks and tackle new obstacles.  They are usually younger than the skaters and are making up for the summer population loss of the older youth.  We have had 20+ kids here every day this week.

     This summer we will have camps and clinics, special events, large celebrations and really helpful construction projects in addition to our free summer meals program.  It looks to be a beautiful and busy season in the further evolution of Joel's Place from skate park to Youth Center.  I would invite you to swing by and take a look at the progress we are making.  Thank you all for your support.

Special Note on Money:

For those of you still reading, I wanted to give a short update on our finances. The lack of spring was very expensive for us as a community.  Fuel tanks had to be filled more than the budget allowed and relief from the cold was few and far between...until it was 80 degrees.  The first half of the year has been rough on our monthly donations and we are beginning to fall behind on our bills.  The amount is small enough (around $10,000) that we should be able to make it up by the end of the summer, but I would rather not take that long to get the ledger back into the black.  If you would be able to make a donation to help out with our finances it would be deeply appreciated.  Encouraging words, positive thoughts and donated food are extremely helpful, but they are not accepted as currency by most companies.  Please consider a one-time gift or a regular monthly pledge as a way of investing in the live of our youth and the future of our community.