From Deseret News archives:
S.L. kicks off summer youth programs
North Shelter, Web site aim to build better lives
The "flagship park" of Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County, as it was called by Rick Graham, director of Salt Lake City's Public Services Department, has been a "wonderful place for families to come and enjoy themselves and to recreate and to find a variety of activities that can strengthen them as individuals and also as families."
Liberty Park has been the anchor for Salt Lake City's YouthCity youth program for several years. Four other locations throughout the city also host after-school and summer programs for youths ages 9 to 14. The program is open to children of all economic backgrounds, but registration is limited.
"There are 87,000 kids between the ages of 7 and 12 in Salt Lake City. There are only six slots per 100 of these children we have a long ways to go in our city, in our county and throughout this state," said Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. "We like to say that we stand for our children, that we're a family state, but we haven't been paying due attention to the needs of children for good, productive, nurturing, interesting places to go and things to do when our children are out of school."
One such resource is Jerry Pruyne, a philanthropist who lives in Salt Lake City. Pruyne said he was also a victim of society at a young age, having 32 sets of parents by the time he was 7 years old.
YouthCity programs offer unique opportunities to children who are often labelled "at-risk." Pruyne said programs such as YouthCity changed his life.
"These are opportunities that are broad enough," he said, "It's not just a swimming lesson, or a horseback-riding trip or a tennis lesson these programs have the ability to catch the uniqueness of a child."
Pruyne, who works in dentistry, has agreed to provide the children involved in the program with a new smile, or at least the dental care to get there.
"I've written several books, but I've never changed anybody's life like I have with a whiter, prettier smile," and resulting boost in self-esteem, Pruyne said.
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