Ribbon cut at Teen Center

More than 50 people turned out last Thursday morning to welcome the new Valley of the Moon Teen Center – a fact which construction committee chair Art Fichtenberg called “a little bit overwhelming.”
“We had expected originally that this would be a gathering of six to eight people, we’d take a picture and then we would be on our way,” Fichtenberg said to loud laughter.
The $1 million, six-years-in-the-making center on Highway 12 between Mountain and Fetters avenues, officially opened Friday, Aug. 1. The orange stucco building features a small gym, classrooms and computer center clustered around an airy main room.
“In the past we’ve had between 40 and 70 kids a day, and this building will be able to hold about 100 to 125,” center Executive Director Stefanie Shackelford said as the main room began to fill with supporters and well-wishers. “And we have a commercial kitchen as well, so we will definitely be able to cook a healthy meal every day at 5 o’clock.”
Jere Starks – who serves on the center construction committee along with Fichtenberg, Shackelford, Jean Hopeman and Gary Baker – echoed Shackelford’s enthusiasm.
“After a couple of years of going to Tuesday morning meetings that start at 7:30, the lights work and the facility’s full of people,” Starks said.
The July 31 ribbon-cutting began with Fichtenberg recounting a brief but applause-punctuated history of the Teen Center, which was only a dream in spring 2002.
“This building is a process basically of the angels showing up when the time is right,” he said. “When we first started I found a seller willing to accept an offer from a nonprofit that had no assets … I needed to find an architect willing to work for free, and then Gary Baker showed up.”
The Sonoma County Community Development Commission funded half the property’s purchase price, or $70,000, with the other half coming from local residents and business people.
Government agencies played a large role in funding, including $417,825 from the Sonoma County Partnership for Youth, $290,000 from the Sonoma County Community Development Commission’s Community Development Block Grants  and $235,000 from the Sonoma Valley Redevelopment Agency.
After thanking everyone, Fichtenberg attempted to adjourn the meeting outside – but First District Sonoma County Supervisor Valerie Brown wouldn’t let him.
“You’re the one who had the dream. You’re the one that sat on the board, you came to all of us in our varying capacities and said, ‘Can you possibly be part of this? Do you think it will work?’” Brown said to nods and approving murmurs from the crowd. “I just want to, and I’m sure for everybody, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for seeing the end of this, which some of us couldn’t see at the time. but you did it, and you’re our hero.”