News

Youth Center, CDCs offer ways to keep Robins’ kids busy during holidays

  • Published
  • By Holly Logan-Arrington
  • Robins Public Affairs

As the holidays approach, parents may be considering options for childcare as schools take a break.

Fortunately, Robins Air Force Base active-duty and retired military, Defense Department civilians, non-appropriated fund employees and base contractors don’t have to go far to find quality care for their children. Robins Youth Center, located in Bldg. 1021 at the corner of Ninth and Hawkinsville Streets, has programs Robins’ youth can use to take boredom out of their vacation days.

Debra Bargie, Youth director for Youth Programs, said the center offers a lot of fun ways to pass the time.

The center will be taking youth to participate in the Feed the City community service project at Hope Church on Nov 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 19, from 6 p.m. to midnight, Robins Youth Center will host a Pre-teen and teen midnight-in. Youth must bring one toy with a value of $5 to $10, for a boy or girl, as admission to the event. Robins’ youth will be delivering Thanksgiving food items as part of a community service effort at the Community Outreach Center Nov. 22.

For youth who want to stick close to base, the center’s Teen Room will be open Noon to 6 p.m. Nov. 21 through 23. The Teen Room will be closed Nov. 24 through 26 in observance of Thanksgiving.

To be eligible for the School Age Program, the child must be between the ages of 5 and 12 and be enrolled in the program; 5-year-olds must be enrolled in kindergarten. For Open Recreation and the Teen Program, youth must be 9 to 18 years old and must still be in high school to participate. SAP is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. during morning hours and 3 to 6 p.m. for evening hours.

The School Age Program can accommodate up to 60 children. However, there is no restrictions on the number of youth in the Open Recreation and Teen Program. 

 “The SAP cost is based on total household income,” Bargie said. “For Open Recreation and the Teen Program, youth can purchase a quarterly membership for $25 or $50 for an annual membership. If a membership is not desired the youth would have to pay a daily use fee of $3 each time he or she visits the Youth Center.  For the School Age program the cost is based on total household income.”

Open Recreation and the Teen Room is open from 3 to 7 p.m. , Monday through Thursday, and 2 to 10 p.m. on Friday.

The Teen Room is also open on Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m. unless there’s a planned field trip. With Christmas not far away, Robins Youth Center has its Christmas list ready to go. Dec. 3, from 6 p.m. to midnight, the Youth Center will host its Passport to Manhood midnight-in for males only.

The cost is $10. Dec. 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Youth Center will join in the Community Service and Christmas program at Dublin VA Hospital. The youth will participate in the Community service effort at the Soup Kitchen Dec. 19 at 11 a.m. Robins’ youth will join in the Community Outreach Center Holiday toy drive Dec. 13 through 21.

Toys will be delivered Dec. 23.

Finally, back at the center, the Teen Room will be open from Dec. 20 through 23, from 1 to 7 p.m., and closed Dec. 24 through 27 for Christmas. The Teen Room will open Dec. 28 and 29 from    1 to 7 p.m., and Dec. 30 from 2 to 10 p.m. The youth center will be closed Dec. 31.

 Editor’s note: For more information, call  Robins Youth Center at 478-327-6834 or visit the center.