Photo by ALIVIA ROBBINS

After years of planning, phase one of Geno’s Youth Center was completed in October 2020. This new building will allow Kids Club of Harney County to continue to expand and serve the community.

Spring has sprung, and Kids Club of Harney County is excited to announce updates and opportunities!

The club was founded in 2001 by a group of volunteers who recognized that youth need a safe place to go after school. Our mission is “to provide a safe and enriching out of school environment for youth that prepares them for success in academics and life by offering support and guidance as they learn the responsibility of healthy life choices.”

The building on 267 S. Egan Ave., which was donated by a local church, sufficiently met the club’s needs until a few years ago. Through dedication to our mission, Kids Club of Harney County has grown to the bursting point, and that facility is no longer big enough to serve all of the youth who need us. 

Eugene “Geno” Timms and his family generously offered the former Big Country Distribution and Alpine Creamery building that they own on 135 E. Washington Street for a new location. The new facility, Geno’s Youth Center, will be named in honor of the late Eugene “Geno” Timms — a former Oregon state senator who raised his family in Harney County. 

After years of planning and fundraising, we opened phase one of Geno’s Youth Center in October of 2020! This new building will allow us to continue to grow and accommodate the need for youth services in our county. This new space will not only support Kids Club services, but it can also be a resource for the entire community. In addition to creating jobs, the center will provide space for a plethora of activities and events. 

Sports teams can also use the gymnasium to practice and host tournaments throughout the year. Over the next year, we look forward to providing programming such as Toddler Tumble & Stretch and various youth sports activities.  We are also looking to add opportunities that are not currently fulfilled in our community, such as open gym and gymnastics.  

Phases two and three are slated to start in 2021 and will feature a teen area, art room, a café, a new classroom for Little Learners Preschool, and more. This facility will increase the number of kids utilizing Kids Club programs and provide greater access to healthy meals, homework help, nutrition education, and an increase in physical activity opportunities.

COVID-19 threw a wrench in our plans, but we were able to continue construction on our gym. After briefly closing our main facility, we continued operations and adapted to new regulations. Throughout it all, we added extended hours and extra homework help to provide care for kids and meet community needs. We also allowed sports clubs to use the gym in accordance with Oregon Health Authority regulations.

In December of 2019, we welcomed Erin Cate as our new Kids Club program manager. Cate was born and raised in Harney County and went to college at Oregon State University. She is in charge of Kids Club programs, including Out of School Enrichment, SELCO Homework Heroes, Art Camp, and the Road Runners Running Club. 

In October of 2020, Geno’s Youth Center slowly opened to the public. It is available to rent for sports practice and events. We are focused on raising money for Geno’s Youth Center equipment including: a scoreboard, benches, basketball hoops, volleyball poles and nets, and more. If you are interested in sponsoring gym equipment, please contact the courts director at 541-573-1844 or kidsclubcourtsdirector@gmail.com.

We are grateful for our previous executive directors, Michelle Friedrichsen and Jeni Stevens, who were integral in planning and implementing Kids Club operations since 2015. They helped raise more than $2,000,000 via grants for Geno’s Youth Center! Thank you! Friedrichsen is currently serving as our interim executive director, stepping in to help successfully transition the club while recruiting her replacement.

Kids Club of Harney County is excited to announce we are hiring for multiple positions! We are looking for an executive director who will be responsible for overseeing the administration, finances, and strategic plan of the organization. Other key duties include grant writing, fundraising, marketing, and community outreach. The position reports directly to the board of directors. 

We are also hiring for a youth development coordinator. This person will assist in meal planning and prep, mentor youth, and keep program areas clean. They will also help guide youth to make good decisions and assist in daily program activities. The position reports directly to the program manager.

As our club grows, we are looking to grow our board of directors. Board members are in charge of strategic thinking, financial forecasting, organization behavior, project management, or policy advocacy. The board of directors meets once a month and volunteers for at least one fundraiser a year.

For more information, contact the Kids Club of Harney County at 541-573-7036 or kidsclubharneycounty@gmail.com. Pick up an application at 267 S. Egan Ave. in Burns between 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Additional opportunities to get involved include: following “Kids Club of Harney County” on Facebook, volunteering your time, attending upcoming events, and donating directly to our organization. If you’re interested in volunteering, please call 541-573-7036 to learn more. If you’re interested in donating, please send a check made out to “Kids Club of Harney County” to P.O. Box 1035, Burns, Oregon 97720. 

Look out for a Grand Opening “20 Year Anniversary” event coming soon! Thank you for your continued support.