Boredom, Be Gone: Send Your Teens to the EP Youth Commission

Parents, how many times have you heard your teens or preteens say "I'm bored," or "there's nothing to do," in the past few weeks? Summer is winding down, summer camps are ending and school is starting soon. It's no surprise that your older kids might be bored if their friends are on vacation or preparing to start practice for fall sports.

But there is a simple cure for the lazy days of summer: Send your son or daughter over to the Evergreen Park Youth Commission. The Youth Commission is located in room 105 of the Evergreen Park Community Center, 3450 W. 97th St., near Circle Park, and it is free for Evergreen Park residents from grade 5 through high school.

The Youth Commission's game room is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday in the summer; and 3 to 6 p.m. on weekdays once school begins. The game room has just received several new games for its Xbox 360 and Wii consoles, and it also has pool and ping-pong tables and arcade games, according to Zoe Kahn of the Youth Commission.

The Youth Commission also hosts many special events throughout the year. Although several events were cancelled this summer due to lack of participants, Kahn says the Youth Commission is hopeful in planning trips for the fall, including a day of Fun Time Square paintball in September and trips to Enchanted Castle and the Tinley Park Roller Rink in December. They are also planning indoor rock climbing and indoor mini-golf trips with dates to be announced.

For now, if your kids want to get out of the house but you still want to know where they're at, the Evergreen Park Youth Commission is a fun, safe place to send the young ones for the afternoon, and a great way to put a stop to the "I'm bored," that you're probably tired of hearing.

For more information, call the Youth Commission at (708) 229-3377.

Also today . . .

• Bridge Recovery Community (supplemental recovery program for people struggling with addiction, co-dependence and past hurts) meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Jacob's Well Church, 3450 W. Maple St. Call (708) 320-9802 for more information.
• Art Van Furniture is hosting a job fair for full-time and part-time positions at its new Bedford Park location at Ford City, 7200 S. Cicero Ave. The fair is today from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Lawn, 9333 S. Cicero Ave., in Oak Lawn.
• The Beverly Arts Center is hosting a screening of Girl Rising at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $10 for non-members and $5.50 for members (must be purchased at the door for the member discount).