OSWEGO – Ribbon cutting, music and rock stars were a few of the feature components surrounding yesterday’s grand opening of the new YMCA Youth Center and Skate Park located on the East side of Oswego. Mayor Billy Barlow and YMCA Executive Director Kerrie Webb launched the grand opening, along with International recording artists Adrian and Ryan Patrick from the rock group OTHERWISE.
“I want to thank everybody for being here. It’s such a great day, opening up this Youth Center. So, it’s a special day, and I think it’s really, really good for our community,” Barlow said. “So, it’s exciting, especially now with everything else going on in the world, I think it’s exciting and positive to cover it and give our children in the community something to do.”
Collaboration between the City of Oswego, YMCA and the Oswego County Youth Bureau brought about the upgrade. Formally located at the Ponzi Recreation Center at Fort Ontario, the Youth Center found its newest home in the building located behind Grace Evangelical Church, located at 201 E. Sixth St. in Oswego.
The new location features an upstairs skate park and a full kitchen; the basement hosting game, art, and media rooms along with a study room complete with computers.
The Center will run an after school program with eventual plans to open seven days a week. Complete funding of the Youth Center and Skate Park is supported by the City of Oswego; the center open and available to all City of Oswego youth free of charge.
Webb thanked Mayor Barlow and all the organizations involved in making the Youth Center relocation a possibility, moving next to guest introductions.
“A new addition to our staff and volunteer group came through a program that we’re trying to develop, which is a music program. And so, I’m really excited to be able to introduce Adrian and Ryan today. And I think that their story is amazing, and I think that the effect that they can have on the kids attending programming here really shows them that you are in control of your destination and what you want to do,” Webb said.
“And through the generosity and the outreach that they have, Ryan was able to get guitars donated from Gibson for this program. So, I just think that the kids to be able to see – they literally have rock stars in front of them that you would watch on YouTube or on TV, but they’re taking their time and energy and investing it into these kids to teach them something that they love.”
Located out of Las Vegas, Ryan Patrick started a non-profit organization called Life by Music. The non-profit officially started in 2016, the vision starting as the brothers volunteered their time while on the road.
The Patrick’s parents were both educators, the brothers wanting to give back with their music. Patrick said part of the donation is a coloring book that teaches chords with a virtue attached, the book designs crafted by their tattoo artist.
“I run a non-profit called Life by Music, which is a music initiative to get music to under-privileged children. And we do a lot of work in Las Vegas and Southern California, and now we’ve finally been able to push our outreach a little bit further and to be able to donate instruments to the Youth Center,” Patrick said.
“We’re super grateful to be here and we’re going to be implementing our first program called Guitar Magic which is teaching guitar chords and notes to kids; and just introducing it to them because it could change their life for the positive – having that outlet to express themselves.”
Adrian Patrick also spoke during the event, praising Oswego and all the amazing people who welcomed him and made it feel like home. Patrick is a part-time Oswegonian, splitting his time between Las Vegas and the City of Oswego with his wife and two children.
“The least we could do is give back; try to share a little bit of what we find so beautiful in music, and through my brother’s non-profit organization and our music, and thankfully for the people at Gibson Gives,” Patrick said. “So, it’s our pleasure and our honor to donate these three brand-new Epiphone acoustic guitars for your kids and other kids, to come and work on rock-and-roll, you know what I’m saying?”
After the ribbon-cutting, [Adrian] Patrick took the time to express his feelings about the area and the opportunity to reach out and give back some of what he’s been given.
“It’s like a righteous feeling, especially with being a part-time Oswegonian. My wife and my kids are born and raised here basically, and it just feels really good to be a part of the community. It feels good to do good, as the old adage goes,” Patrick said. “Before, our music and our art was the most important thing in our lives, and now with becoming a dad, I just want to set an example for them, show them what the right thing to do is.”
- Note: For clarification, The Grace Luteran Church is still an open and active House of Worship in the community. The YMCA is renting space behind the chuch for their Youth Center.
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