Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson, District 3, and Pima County Public Library Director Melinda Cervantes will join Amado residents of all ages in celebrating the Grand Opening of the Amado Youth Center, 28802 S. Old Nogales Highway, on Saturday, June 9, at 10 a.m.

Supervisor Bronson persuaded the Board of Supervisors to allocate $10,000 to Compass Behavioral Health Care Inc. in January to work with Amado residents and friends to renovate an empty storefront where it could provide more than 250 Amado-area youth with educational, recreational and leadership services.

“I am extremely happy to assist in bringing this new center and youth services to this important and historic area of Pima County,” Supervisor Bronson said. “It is important that the County provide infrastructure and services in the rural areas as well as in the center. This is a small but important contribution and I wish them great success.”

Compass has been working with the Amado community to form a Community Prevention Coalition to prevent underage drinking and substance abuse and use among youth.  The Coalition has been able to start an Amado Youth Alliance and has obtained the support of the Amado Business Association, two area churches and the Green Valley Chamber of Commerce.

But until the Youth Center was created, young people in Amado lacked a place to go after school to meet, have fun and learn.

As two young volunteers helping with the renovation say in a video about the Youth Center on the Amado Business Association website (http://www.amadoaz.com/news), there’s “nothing to do” in Amado and “it’s really boring.”

Pima County Public Library donated eight previously used computers and a collection of books to the center.  “This teen center is critical to the Amado area as it is an underserved community and can benefit greatly from the opportunity for teens to gain 21^st century learning skills,” said Library Services Manager Amber Mathewson, who will be attending the Grand Opening with Cervantes and Deputy Director Pat Corella.

The Pima County Community Development & Neighborhood Conservation Department is overseeing Compass’ use of Pima County funds.