Park Ridge Teen Center to get boost from local nonprofit

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Updated: March 17, 2012 8:04AM

The Park Ridge Teen Center will benefit this year from funding raised by a local philanthropic group.

The Park Ridge Juniors, a nonprofit, charitable organization, has selected the Teen Center, 418 W. Touhy Ave., as its major recipient of donations. A majority of the funding will be raised during the organization’s 59th annual benefit, which will take place March 10 at the Park Ridge Country Club.

Proceeds from the benefit, which will feature a “high tea” in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, will also support other local nonprofit agencies. More information, including how to purchase tickets, can be found at www.parkridgejuniors.org/benefit.html.

Park Ridge Juniors President Sharon Knowles said members felt the Teen Center had been “left by the wayside” when funding it had traditionally received from the city of Park Ridge was cut in 2010.

“We learned they were struggling, having lost funding provided by the city, and we wanted to reach out the help the kids in our community,” Knowles said.

The Teen Center, which is on the campus of Firsta United Methodist Church, offers teenagers from Park Ridge and surrounding communities an opportunity to socialize, play games and listen to live bands on weekend nights, all under adult supervision. The Teen Center is not affiliated with the city of Park Ridge, though the Park Ridge City Council had provided financial contributions for a number of years. In 2010 a mayoral veto resulted in the Teen Center losing a requested $22,000 in funding.

The amount of money that will be contributed to the Teen Center will not be known until after the benefit, Knowles said.

The Park Ridge Juniors was formed in 1935 and to date has raised nearly $2 million for community organizations, Knowles reported.

The Teen Center was also one of 21 organizations to receive funding from the Park Ridge Community Fund in 2011, said Community Fund Executive Director Gail Haller. Haller would not disclose the amount given to the center, but did say it has received funding since 2008.