Our Mission
The Community Center for Youth (CCY) will provide Walla Walla Valley teens with their own safe place to hang out and develop new interests in the arts, sports and scholarship, while developing respectful relationships with other students, adults and the community at large.
CCY's History
In 1996, an ad hoc committee convened by Walla Walla Department of Parks & Recreation, set about to explore to possibility of creating and maintaining a youth center in Walla Walla. The impetus for this was the result of a survey developed by Dr. Steve Rubin, professor of psychology at Whitman College, that indicated that area youth, who are not formally attached to other programming, wanted “a place to call their own.”
The Children's Forum in 1998 identified the lack of a place for teens who weren't otherwise engaged in positive social structure and identified this as a priority. The Community Network led the effort to engage local teens in discussion about a center, and energy and momentum quickly grew.
The Center first opened in November 1999 at the National Guard Armory on Colville Street in Walla Walla. The youth, community groups and partners that collaborated to develop The Teen Center envisioned an organizational structure that would make The Teen Center’s mission to promote, establish, support, advise and operate a community center for youth in the Walla Walla area a reality.
In October, 2007, the Teen Center relocated from the National Guard Armory to Lincoln Alternative High School. Five days a week, CCY offers after school and evening programming to middle school and high school aged students from throughout the Walla Walla Valley and northeast Oregon.
As of September 2009, CCY’s current home is St. Pat’s Youth Center and is providing services to our community’s youth three days a week.
Board Members
Board Member |
Title |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Jordan | President | Retired WWPS Deputy Supt. |
| Chuck Fulton | Past President | Walla Walla Chief of Police |
| Dondi Cortinas | Vice President | Juvenile Justice Center |
| Jason Wicklund | Treasurer | Christian Aid Center |
| Chris Drabek | Secretary | College Place School District |
| Teri Barila | Board Member | Community Network |
| Steve Moss | Board Member | Blue Mountain Action Council |
| Tom Madsen | Board Member | Retired CEO |
| Gina Yonts | Board Member | Walla Walla Public Schools |
| Alexander Scott | Board Member | City of College Place |
| Cynthia Selde | Board Member | Community Volunteer |
CCY's Staff
Name |
Title |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gary Lunden | Executive Director director@wwccy.org |
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Gary Lunden Executive Director for CCY -
Gary Lunden has been selected as the new Executive Director for the Community Center for Youth. Gary comes to CCY with the combination of a strong financial and business background blended with a passion to make a difference in the lives of local youth. Gary feels privileged to serve the community in his new position in the Walla Walla Valley and the opportunity it provides to help develop a sustainable future for CCY.Gary's professional experience ranges from Financial Development Officer to operating his own financial and insurance services consulting firm. His skills include fund raising, marketing, sales and management. Developing solid, long-term relationships is a key strength of Gary's, and an element of his personality and work style of which he is most proud. "Creating these positive relationships served me well during my tenure at Fort Walla Walla Museum as Financial Development Officer. I am always delighted to meet the very folks with whom I have engaged with over the years, and to see that these relationships are still solid, years later." He has a variety of experiences in both community and professional services. For the last ten years, Gary and his wife Lynn have loved living in Walla Walla where both have enjoyed serving the community, including their mutual membership in the Noon Rotary Club. Gary's involvement with the Sherwood Trust Community Leadership Program included mentoring teens in the yearlong program resulting in the successful "Planet Walk" developed in Fort Walla Walla park. In Seattle, Gary was involved in the First African Methodist Church Education Enhancement Program where he assisted youth with homework, written communication skills, and goal-setting. Gary has also worked with the Special Olympics program and Junior Achievement counting those as treasured memories. Gary's core values include providing leadership to an organization and making a difference within the community. He takes over the position of Executive Director immediately. Chuck Fulton, Board President, was delighted to offer Gary the position. "We are thrilled to have someone of Gary's experience with finances, marketing and fund raising on board with us. We can see that Gary means business with his "100 day plan" to create an exciting new approach for CCY's infrastructure. |
| Johnny Johnson | Program Manager jjohnson@wwccy.org |
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| Jesse Torres | Mentor jtorres@wwccy.org |
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Jesse Torres Jesse Torres - Is a Para Educator at Green Park Elementary School and after his day job he heads over to the Community Center for Youth three nights a week to assist as a Computer Lab Tutor, Art Tutor, Digital Photography Tutor and a variety of other things.If you would like to contact him feel free to send him an e-mail at jtorres@wwccy.org or visit the Comments page and you can also contact him that way. |
| Greg May | Mentor gmay@wwccy.org |
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Greg May Greg's Bio Coming Soon! |
| Danielle McMahon | Mentor dmcmahon@wwccy.org |
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Danielle McMahon Danielle McMahon - has been with CCY since 2004. She has a Masters in Social Work from Walla Walla College, did her internship at Garrison Middle School and enjoys working with the teens, especially running her group with the girls, including having them go to the Cosmetology Department at WWCC. If you like to contact Daniel send her an email at dmcmahon@wwccy.org |
| Antonio Barbosa | Mentor abarbosa@wwccy.org |
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Antonio Barbosa Antonio grew up here in Walla Walla, and just recently graduated from EWU with a business degree. Antonio has been with CCY since late August. He enjoys playing sports with the kids like basketball and soccer. |
| Sara Bru | Mentor sbru@wwccy.org |
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Sara Bru Sara Bru is excited to be a mentor with Community Center for Youth. She has worked with youth for a number of years and has her Masters in Social Work from Walla Walla University. “I love teaching and being a part of this program,” says Sara, who teaches film, photography, and art to our students here at St. Pat’s. Currently, she is also working at the Walla Walla County Health Department as their Tobacco Prevention Coordinator. |