Being from Bounty Land farming community, we never had anything like a “Y”. Families were so spread out in the country, it was not practical then to have a central facility like a Youth Center. Having a safe Youth Center at Utica will certainly be a tremendous asset to that community and help the youngsters make good decisions and a better life.

When I grew up in the 1940’s – 1960’s, the Utica Village was a nice place to live, people rarely locked their windows or doors. Everyone got along together well and there was never any mischief or wrong doings. The “Y” was provided by the mill for residents’ use. Children always had a safe place to go and be with their peers. Would it not be nice to have a Youth Center today where children and teenagers could “hang out” together feeling safe to learn and to better their social skills?

Utica was a wonderful place to grow up, neighbors looking our for neighbors. My heart’s desire is to see Utica become a close neighborhood again. I believe the first step is making children a priority, giving them safe places to come together. Places they can experience the love of Jesus through adults who have a passion of making their lives better.