Navy: Center leaves some out
July 3, 2008 · Updated 10:13 PM
I was initially thrilled at the prospect of a new base youth center being built, as the current building is quite old, cramped and falling apart. My excitement (and that of my son) soon diminished, and turned to frustration upon hearing that instead of expanding the program to include all school age children, that while the age limit was increasing, so was the minimum age.
An entire group of children, who are currently the core of the open recreation program as it stands now, are being left out in the cold. Once the new youth center opens, elementary school age children will be left without the opportunity to fully use the new facility and programs.
The Child and Youth Services Program page of the Navy Life Northwest Web site states, We offer a variety of programs and services to meet the needs of our military families, yet instead of continuing to meet the current need and expanding the program to encompass all military children, some military families are being left out in the cold. The military claims to take care of its own, yet another benefit is being stripped away from the military members and their families.
Dawn Benz
Oak Harbor
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