Teen center hosting Hawaiian luau fundraiser

SANDPOINT — The community is invited to an upcoming Hawaiian luau benefit dinner with proceeds benefitting the Sandpoint Teen Center.

Hosted by the teen center, the May 20 luau dinner will feature smoked pulled pork, teriyaki chicken, grilled pineapple, Hawaiian salad, and pina colada slushies. STC teens will help prepare the meal after school and then will serve their families and community members at a special fundraising dinner from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20. Vegetarian options will be available and the event will also feature family friendly games for kids, ping pong, cornhole and more.

"The dinner is both an educational activity for our teens to practice preparing meals and learn kitchen and serving skills and a fundraiser for the Teen Center," said Kate Mansur, who works with the teen center as its grant writer.

The suggested donation is $20 per person or free for kids free and will raise much-needed funds for the center's Healthy Teens After School program which provides healthy food, activities, homework help, community service, and more  to all Bonner County teens every day after school. 

The fundraiser will also feature a silent auction with a wide selection of items from local businesses, including restaurant gift cards, shopping, a helicopter ride, a catered dinner, and local adventures, among other items.

RSVPs can be sent to [email protected]. 

For those unable to attend the dinner, donations can be made online at sandpointteencenter.com or by mailing a check to Sandpoint Teen Center, Box 1066, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

"It takes a community to nurture and enrich our teens," Mansur said.

The center is partnering with the Eat Together Idaho campaign, which is an effort to promote families eating daily meals with their teens, at the dinner. 

"Studies show (eating meals together) reduces teen substance use, supports better academic outcomes for teens, and bolsters teen confidence and success," Mansur said.

The center welcomes anywhere from 85 to 190 teens a day at its two locations, First Lutheran Church and two portables behind Sandpoint Middle School.

The Sandpoint Teen Center supports local youth by drawing teens into constructive challenges in a supportive “family-type” environment, building self-esteem and a positive personal outlook, Mansur said. 

"Our aim through activities, games, homework help, service opportunities, and classes is for teens to turn vulnerable, unsupervised afternoons into a springboard to success, building healthy eating and recreation habits, positive relationships, and learning new skills that will benefit them in the future," she added.

A 501(c)3 nonprofit, the teen center aims to provide a positive and enriching after-school environment where local students in seventh through twelfth grade can socialize safely and participate in activities designed to develop leadership qualities, interpersonal skills, and community awareness, center officials said. 

Also known as the Sandpoint Youth Center, the center was launched 18 years ago to offer positive afterschool programs for local teens. Activities include a culinary arts program, daily healthy snack, special hot meals, teen cooking and kitchen classes, and a variety of games, crafts and activities. Adult staff and volunteers serve as mentors and volunteers provide homework help and youth also take part in community service activities.

Most of the teens walk to the center from the Sandpoint middle and high schools, Forrest Bird charter schools, Lake Pend Oreille High School, and the Homeschool Academy. The Sandpoint Teen Center is open Monday through Thursday, 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

"Teens visit the Sandpoint Teen Center because there is either no one at home after school or they are looking for a place to socialize with their peers," Mansur said. "Other teens are seeking food to eat, an adult to connect with, help with homework or school assignments, or to try fun new things and make friends."