By BARBARA BARBIERI

The Garage Youth Center, operated under the auspices of Bluffton’s Moose Lodge 242, was presented a check for $500 recently from the Beta Phi chapter of Tri Kappa and the Phyllis Shady family as a memorial for devoted Tri Kappa member Phyllis Shady.

Members of the Beta Associate chapter of Tri Kappa (Norma Sweeten and Michelle Sodervick), at left, and Kent Shady, center, were visitors to The Garage Youth Center in Bluffton on a recent afternoon. They came to present a $500 check to Connie and Arley Higginbotham, at right, the managers of the site for the Moose Lodge, in memory of Shady’s mother, Phyllis, who was a devoted Tri Kappa member. The Shady family has entrusted the Tri Kappa’s with the selection of the group to be gifted each year. (Photo by Barbara Barbieri)

On hand to accept the check were Connie and Arley Higginbotham, who operate The Garage for the Moose Lodge with the help of adult volunteers. The site at the corner of Main and Wabash streets was the former home to Deck’s Service Station; a sign over the snack bar pays homage to that business.

The Garage’s mission statement, as stated on its website, is “to reach out to young people n the city of Bluffton to provide them with a safe place to play, socialize and attend concerts with a decidedly Christian atmosphere.”

Young people ages 12 years of age through high school are invited to visit six days a week, with the hours being 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. The visitors are asked to sign in and are given points that in turn allow them to select food items including hot dogs, chips and beverages. 

The game room at The Garage with the stage/music venue area through the archway at the back of the photo. There also is a cafe area where the boys and girls can enjoy snacks. (Photo by Barbara Barbieri)

In addition to snacks there are places to just chill out, play games (two billiard tables, board games and  several arcade games) or be entertainers or entertained at a stage area. On Wednesdays a Bible Study is offered by Arley from 3:30 to 4:30 with pizza included.

During the summer months the average day’s attendance is 20 while during the school year it is more often 30 to 40, the Higginbothams said. The site always has at least two adult volunteers to greet the young visitors.

The Garage is a 501(c)3 organization and has a Go Fund Me page with the web site of Gogarage.org

The phone number is 260-273-0600.

Note: In past years the Tri Kappa/Shady memorial check has been presented to: the Creative Arts Council in 2021 and to the Boys & Girls Club and Family Centered Services in 2022.

barb@news-banner.com

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