Teen center planned

Gallatin kids asked

to help themselves

GALLATIN, Mo. - The Daviess County seat is going to the kids andthe dogs. On the heels of a successful revamping of the local dogpound, resulting in new lives for dozens of animals, the city is nowlooking at enriching kids' lives.

What made a great haunted house last year has been offered by theowner as a teen center this year. Gallatin Police Chief Jim Wycoffsays, with volunteer involvement and teen-run fund-raising events,the first floor of the building can be renovated into a game roomand possible Internet cafe.

"It's really beat up," he said of the place. "It has no furnaceand is in terrible condition. We'll need volunteer labor to fix itup."

The kids who have met with him told him they'd like games thatcan be played by more than one player, like foosball and pool. Andthey'd like to get computers so they can do their homework and get e-mail.

"In Europe, people go to Internet cafes to use computers," heexplained. "This would be Gallatin's version."

But the project won't get off the ground without teeninvolvement. Mr. Wycoff said the difference between this plan andthe lengthy list of past efforts is that, this time, he wants kidsinvolved.

"Everybody was always going to do it for them and hand it tothem," said the new chief, who was previously a Kansas City policeofficer. "If the kids aren't in on this, it won't happen. The oneswith cars will still be out there cruising. I want to get them inhere. We'll get the non-driving kids in here, that's a given. But Iwant the drivers, too."

One of the first to be involved is Greg Hickey, 16. He'll be ajunior this year at Gallatin's small 293-student high school.

"We need a place to hang out instead of cruising the stripwasting gas," he said. "Especially with the price of gas. There'snot much to do here. We go to other towns and hang out, or there'sthe pool. But it closes at 8. We hang out at Breadeaux's (Pizza),but that's very boring. Or you can drive two miles down the stripand come back. We really need something else to do."

The biggest need right now, he says, is for money to get theproject off the ground and for more people to get involved.

"Kids are always complaining they got nothing to do, well give ita couple of hours here and get off your butt," he said.

The first fund-raising event will be today, with a car wash atWater Wizard on Missouri Highway 13 in Gallatin, between 10 a.m. and4 p.m., for a $5 donation.

"If I end up getting wet and washing cars, there's going to betrouble," Mr. Wycoff said. "We need a lot of participation from thekids."

Future plans include a garage sale, with sales of items donatedby the public, and a party at the city pool with a disc jockeyplaying music. Mr. Wycoff hopes to give dances to support thecenter, not only for kids, but tea dances for the older folks andsock hops for people his age who were in at the birth of rock 'n'roll.

"Things that you do that impact on the community are one of thehigh points of your life," Mr. Wycoff said. "If you can turn aroundeven one or two kids and keep them away from drugs, this will all beworth it."