Spotlight: Free Winter Youth Program is underway in Lehighton
LEFT: Instructors Makayla Nothstein and Ashley Wojton watch as 4-year-old Azalea, the daughter of Lehighton recreation director Tom Evans, hops up and down on this bouncing ball during the Winter Youth Program held at the Lehighton Recreation Center. Visit www.tnonline.com for a video.
ABOVE: Braylon DeJesus, 13, of Lehighton, guards Evan Everett, 12, of Lehighton, during a friendly game of basketball during the Winter Youth Program at the Lehighton Recreation Center.
Fourth-grader Allie Conrad prepares to kick the ball as far as she can during a game of kickball.
Malachi Hannon, 12, of Lehighton, prepares to throw the ball. TERRY AHNER/TIMES NEWS
Robin Rimbey, youth center employee, and Tom Evans, recreation director, observe youth as they play sports. TERRY AHNER/TIMES NEWS
Matthew Burns, 11, of Lehighton, gets ready to kick the ball.
Steven Lilly, 12, of Lehighton, readies himself to kick the ball.
It’s fun, and perhaps best of all, free.
The Winter Youth Program at the Lehighton Recreation Center features basketball, kickball, you name it.
Yet, despite all of its amenities, the only thing missing from inside the facility, surprisingly enough, are enough kids to fill it.
Braylon DeJesus and Evan Everett, both of Lehighton, recently took turns guarding each other in a friendly game of basketball as part of the free program for students in grades 4-8.
“It’s pretty cool; it’s something to do, and it makes me feel better,” said Braylon, 13. “It’s fun, it’s open, and is a great overall thing.”
Evan said he, too, looks forward to the program.
“I like it because I can practice basketball and other sports,” said Evan, 12. “I also get exercise.”
Instructor Ashley Wojton said the rec center is big enough to house plenty of participants.
“We have this whole place,” Wojton said. “We just do what they want to do.”
Fellow instructor Makayla Nothstein said there’s plenty to do, yet not enough youth take advantage of it.
“We have things to do,” Nothstein said. “We just need kids to want to come out.”
Braylon said those who don’t participate in the program aren’t aware of what it is they’re missing.
“I’d like more people to join,” he said. “Everybody’s nice here.”
Tom Evans, recreation director, noted that the Winter Youth Program has been underway since last month.
“We get about 10 to 15 kids,” Evans said. “We’re hoping to get at least 30 kids.”
Evans said those who attend get a real charge out of the program.
“They love the program,” he said. “It’s to get them off their computers to exercise.”
Evans said the program — easily over 50 years old, and in about its 30th year at the rec center — runs through the beginning of April.
“It’s good that the borough runs a program like this,” he said. “Most communities would never do this for the whole winter, and it’s free.”
The program runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday; and for students grades 9 through 12 from 8 to 9 p.m.
Anyone with questions may contact Evans at 570-294-4532.
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