Marine Corps Base Chapel Youth Center opens

News: Marine Corps Base Chapel Youth Center opens

III Marine Expeditionary Force / Marine Corps Installations Pacific

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Story by Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner Follow This Journalist

Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner

Navy Capt. Brenda BradleyDavila puts her hand prints on the wall of the Marine Corps Base Camp Butler Chapel Youth Center during the grand opening on Camp Foster Feb. 19, making her an honorary member of the center. The students of the High Tide classes decorated the center by placing their handprints on the wall. BradleyDavila is the Marine Corps Installations Pacific chaplain.

CAMP FOSTER, Japan - The Marine Corps Base Camp Butler Chapel Youth Center held its grand opening on Camp Foster Feb. 19.

The opening included speeches from the Marine Corps Installations Pacific chaplain, as well as pastors from the center, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a welcoming presentation and games for anyone who wanted to participate.

The youth center is open to all students who attend Common Ground and High Tide and their parents.

“We offer two classes at the chapel, the Common Ground class is open to all high school students, and High Tide is open to all middle school students,” said Don Shove, a teacher at the Chapel Youth Center and parent to students who attend. “During these classes we have gospel classes, practice worship and play games with the students.”

Attached to the Youth Center is the Refuge Café, which will be opened to the students and their parents every Friday. The Common Ground classes are held Saturdays and the High Tide classes are every Sunday.

“The youth center and the café are designed to provide the students with a safe place to come on the weekends,” said David C. Hutchings, the youth pastor for the Chapel Youth Center. “It gives the students a place to call their own while providing them with an alternative to stay out of trouble.”

The center not only teaches spiritual guidance, but also teaches the students about leadership skills and responsibility.

“The students run the café on their own,” said Hutchings. “We also have students that have taken charge of the programs at both the middle and high schools.”

While the Chapel Youth Center is a new building it is not a new program.

“This is our fourth year with this program,” said Hutchings. “We used to hold our classes at the Camp Foster Chapel, but we out grew the facility.”

The new Chapel Youth Center provides its students with lessons in spirituality, responsibility and leadership, and brings the community together.

“This center offers motivation, enlightenment, values and brings people all over the Marine Corps and Air Force together regardless of their denomination,” said Navy Capt. Brenda BradleyDavila, the Marine Corps Installations Pacific chaplain. “This is a place of empowerment and gives students the opportunity to embrace their full potential.”