The Kern River Valley Youth Center needs your help!

At the 11-5-08 KRVR Community Meeting, Jan & Ron Montague made a presentation about the Kern River Valley Youth Center — one of the Valley’s best kept secrets. It is located at 3640 Golden Spur Street in Lake Isabella (behind MacDonald’s & the VFW).

The Kern River Valley Youth Center has its own 3,000 square feet building, providing a safe secure & adult supervised environment, operating Monday thru Friday 3:00 to 6:00 pm, and Saturday 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm. Since 1999, the Youth Center has provided structured educational and informational programs emphasizing positive social behavior, wellness, and career explorations for kids ages 12 to 17.

Examples of the Youth Center's programs:

• Dances every other Saturday with adult supervision
• “What’s Under Covers” Project - building a high tech computer
• “Young Eagles” at KV Airport - in collaboration with KV Rotary & South Fork Summer Camp
• Field Trip to KGET Channel 17 News, during a live news broadcast
• “Survival Cooking Class - What I can fix to eat till Mom gets home”

KRV Youth Center's Progress

• 9 years serving the youth of the Kern River Valley
• 163 Members
• Increasing success in acquiring program grants
• Number and variety of programs offered is expanding
• Developed the Computer Lab & Skateboard Park

Successes in 2008 (to October 21^st)

• 18 Dances including a Halloween party/dance with 65 youth and 18 parents in attendance
• 46 new teens signed-up as Members
• Received a Community Wellness Program Grant through Kern Community Foundation
• Physical Exercise Program - by Valley Fitness
• Education on proper nutrition and dangers of steroids & drug abuse - by Dr. Wesley Williams
• Team-building & enhanced self-confidence via ropes & climbing wall - by MRA
• Added “Fresh Park” steel framed, heavy duty ramps and rails to the Skateboard Park

In the works

• Self-defense and Youth Boxing Program

The Kern River Valley can be justly proud of the Youth Center’s achievements. However, the Youth Center needs your help to continue to serve the youth of the Kern River Valley. The Youth Center has had some extraordinary financial challenges, but has forthrightly taken steps to deal with them.

But still, the Youth Center and the kids it serves need your help!

“What’s Under Covers” Project - building their own high tech computers

As an article in the Bakersfield Californian 11-10-08: Kern charities: So much need, so few resources pointed out,

“There are a lot of local nonprofits that are really concerned right now,” said Della Hodson, president and chief professional officer of the United Way of Kern County. “We’re all having to find different ways to raise money,” she said, but “it’s very difficult to set a goal in this economy right now. We would consider anything that meets or exceeds last year to be successful.”

The Montagues’ well organized presentation pointed out that in 2007 and the first half of 2008 the Youth Center had paid staff. During that time fund raising activities fell short. Desiring to continue to serve our youth, payments on our mortgage were deferred.

Wisely taking steps to reduce future energy costs, the Youth Center implemented a new solar panel system and replacement of the center’s heating/air conditioning system with high efficiency heat pumps. Lighting was upgraded as well, all resulting in greatly reduced future SCE bills. But a billing snafu left the Youth Center with a huge bill for the electricity used in 2006, before the change-out.

The upshot is that, at this time, the Youth Center has about $12,000 in deferred obligations.

To deal with the situation, the Youth Center took a series of actions to meet its financial obligations while continuing to serve the Valley’s youth. Those actions include:

• Transitioned to an all volunteer staff
• Negotiated a payment schedule for the 2006 electric bill
• Resumed mortgage payments monthly
• Obtained volunteer expertise, on a temporary basis, to assess our financial situation
• Appointed an Interim Treasurer to more effectively use 2009 Quick Books to manage Youth Center finances
• Began working with mortgage lender to mutually address the deferred mortgage payments
• Prepared a 6 month Operating Budget (November thru April 2009)

As Jan & Ron Montague pointed out at the KRVR Community Meeting, the Youth Center needs to raise $1,500 to meet expenses for the next 6 months. Also, for the 2006 electric bill, we need to raise $250/month. Finally, while discussions with the mortgage lender are still in process, the Youth Center expects a $2,000 obligation for the deferred mortgage payments.

Your Support Needed

You can make a donation and/or volunteer to participate in the Youth Center’s programs.

• Encourage youths 12 to 17 to join the Youth Center and attend functions
• Volunteer as a Chaperon or Instructor
• Volunteer for the Youth Center’s Fundraising Committee
• Rent the Youth Center for your organization’s meetings
• Rent a 110 square foot room as office space from the Youth Center
• Donate for
• Operating Expenses
• Sponsor a Youth ($200/yr)
• 2006 electric bill
• Back mortgage payments
• Specific Programs

To donate or volunteer, click on KRV Youth Center Add My Support Form

KRV Youth Center 2008 Information Update 

The Kern River Valley Youth Center will participate in KRVR’s Living Green in the KRV event, both to show off it’s impressive Green energy system and to include the youth it serves in the festival in late March 2009. Living Green in the KRV will feature a program from the Sierra Business Council called ‘Think Local First.’ The Kern River Valley Youth Center reminds us to include local non-profit organizations when we Think Local First.

To contact the Kern River Valley Youth Center:

• Mail: P.O. Box 3948, Wofford Heights, CA 93285
• Phone: (760) 379-4360
• Jan Montague This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Ron Montague This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it