OXFORD – His Place Teen Center is seeking a building in the Oxford Hills region to open a new thrift shop to support the center, and there are plans to start several new faith-based programs to support area youth and their families.
Bert Rugg, who along with his wife, Fran, is the Christian-based center’s founder and executive director, said Monday that funds from the thrift shop would support the center’s programs and activities and help pay a small salary for Rugg, who runs the center full time.
“The ideal thing would be to have a building donated,” Rugg said, adding that he would like the thrift shop to be located in a high-visibility area such as on Route 26.
The center, which is open to youth ages 11 to 18 who live in the Oxford Hills and surrounding region, holds five major yard sales each year to raise funds. Donations to the yard sales including furniture and home appliances would be sold at the thrift shop. “I get a lot of stuff donated; I would keep the best for the thrift shop,” Rugg said.
The thrift shop would be open year-round and kids who already participate in the center’s programs and activities would have opportunities to work there. Rugg, an interdenominational minister, said kids would be able to learn work ethics and commitment to a job by working at the shop.
His Place Teen Center, which began operating in 1992, is at 254 Webber Brook Road in Oxford and is open to youth every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., followed by “Teen Church” beginning at 9:15.
About 40 to 50 kids come to the center each Friday, Rugg said. A game room with pool tables, Foosball, Ping-Pong, air hockey, computers, board games, video games and a stereo system provide activities on Friday evenings. There is also a snack bar. The center also has a softball field, horseshoe area, basketball court and volleyball pit on its grounds to use when weather permits.
Rugg and his wife and their staff have developed several faith-based programs and activities for kids including a winter retreat, a career mentoring program, and a pizza fundraiser. “The mission of the center is to reach youth and understand they need God in their lives,” Rugg said.
Since its beginning, the center has expanded in various ways and several more programs are slated to start later this year, Rugg said.
An after-school program should begin in September on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons so kids can receive some help with their homework from staff members. In addition, the center plans to hold staff-led parenting classes for area parents, as well as a life skills training program for youth ages 16 and older that will teach basic skills including balancing a checkbook and budgeting money.
Anyone interested in obtaining information about the center or wanting to make a donation to support its programs and activities may phone Bert and Fran Rugg at 743-9503.
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