A Platoon of Businesses Stands Behind Reaching Out Now at Open House for Youth Center in Progress

At 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, at the revitalized Raymond E. Santmyers Student Union and Activity Center at 200 East 8^th Street, an open house was held for businesses in Front Royal and the larger Warren County area to come and see and get a feel for what the youth center is going to be and why it is worthy of their investment, not only financial, but of time, talent, and resources. President of the non-profit Reaching Out Now (RON), Samantha Barber, shared at length RON’s vision for the much beloved building, explaining in detail all the progress that has been made and still needs to be made to make the youth center operative again.

Karen Peer of Sysco (behind the table) facilitates the business open house for the Raymond E. Santmyers Student Union and Activity Center. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

The presence of so many people who play key roles in this community testified to the enduring Santmyers legacy and a good gauge of how eager the community is to see the youth center reopen. In attendance was Councilman Glenn Wood, who had a very positive experience at the youth center when he was young and credits the Santmyers for their legacy of keeping kids out of trouble and giving them a safe place to be productively engaged and thinking about their futures. He also said that he believes the Town can continue making financial contributions to RON like the one made earlier this year for $25,000, and he emphatically hopes they will. Also in attendance was Justin Proctor of the Advisory Committee for Environmental Sustainability (ACES), who spoke with Animation about his talks with Barber regarding what ACES can do to reimagine the space outside the youth center. Matthew Welch of Quiet Mind Psychotherapeutic Services, Inc., spoke of his appreciation for what RON plans to do. Robert Adanitsch, CEO of ACOM, pointed to the cameras his people have installed at key points in the building and mentioned the vape sensors installed in the bathrooms.

Justin Proctor (L) and Chris Rademacher (R), both affiliated with the Advisory Committee for Environmental Sustainability (ACES), are excited about the role they will play in reimagining the space outside the youth center.

President of Reaching Out Now Samantha Barber stands with her good friend, culinary artist Devin Smith, before the meal he created for Thursday evening’s open house at the youth center.

With a history dating back to 2008 and not only surviving but actively meeting needs during the onset of the pandemic, Reaching Out Now already has a legacy of instilling leadership qualities in the community’s young people, working in close partnership with the school system and developing programs like Safe at Home with softball and baseball games to give our young people the support they need and raise money for scholarships. This revitalized youth center is where children between eighth and twelfth grades will feel seen, heard, and loved. Barber shared that when surveyed, the youth have reported that they want tutoring opportunities above all other things, including food. Here, she emphasized that financial contributions are vital considering the amount of money that still needs to be raised before the center can open, but more important than anything else is the investment of time, talent, and resources through programs designed to convey skill sets to the youth of this community, which will hopefully guide them on a path to a bright future. We cannot do this without you, she told the group.

Matthew Welch (R) stands with two other representatives of Quiet Mind Psychotherapeutic Services, Inc., as they attended the open house supporting the youth center whose values align with their own.