Jose Lopes, 15, paints the Teen Center in preparation for their move.
Ryan lely/Sonoma Valley Sun
At the end of this month, the Valley of the Moon Teen Center will pull up stakes at its current location on Highway 12 near Mountain Avenue. The organization has rented a storage unit for its belongings and, for the next two or three months, they’ll operate as a “Nomadic Teen Center,” in the words of executive director Celeste Winders.
The group’s permanent home will be located directly across the highway from the current one. Custom-designed modular buildings are now being constructed off-site, and weather permitting, the new facility should be completed by late March or early April, according to board president Stephanie Shackelford.
Why move out of the old space before the new one is ready? Winders points to the “numerous structural challenges” of the old building, including windows that have fallen out of frames and an infestation of mice brought on by a combination of nearby construction and cold weather. While Winders has tried to remain upbeat, the bottom line is that it’s no longer a safe place for the kids. “Our intention was to stick it out until the opening of our new facility; however, the teens’ safety and well-being are always our priority,” she said.
The Teen Center organization is a creative bunch, though, and the temporary lack of a building isn’t going to slow them down. In fact, the team is using this transition time as an opportunity to explore the surrounding community.
They plan to take at least one field trip a week, with several already booked during the month of February for College Awareness Month. The kids will be visiting Sonoma and San Francisco State universities as well as Santa Rosa, Napa, and Laney junior colleges.
Community members are also stepping up to help out during the time that the Center is in flux. One is El Verano resident Suzanne Shonbrun, who has volunteered to lead art workshops and field trips. Winders welcomes other volunteers as well. “We appreciate the continued support of the community at this difficult time. We may not have four walls and a roof, but we have staff, community and a lot of optimism and energy,” she said.
La Luz and the Boys and Girls Club have offered the use of their facilities, so regular Teen Center activities will still take place during the transition. The organization will continue to offer homework assistance, gang intervention programs, graffiti removal, nutrition and fitness programs and help with senior projects.
One last activity the Teen Center has planned before moving out of the old building is cleaning and repainting it. Winders said that it’s always been her philosophy to leave a place in nicer condition than she found it. What a great lesson to pass along.
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