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I AB-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, May 16, 2006 w.keun"c CO MU \ T 878-2881 The Deck offers safe haven for local teens By Stephanie Thiessen CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF T wenty-year-lId Aaron Wagnesr knows better than mosi ihat flfe juso isn't fair. As a chold, bc loso bis father to cancer. When he was 17, bis mom died of a brain aneurysm. And just lasi Ocoober, bis stepfa- ther was taken by a beart attack. The deaths, coupled vvitb a household ravaged by alcohol, could have left him bat- ter and alonte. lnstead, Wagner is happily looking for- ward to graduating trLXm high school and purseling his olf cfreain of going pros) aIl the wbSle in vcsiing an young peoXple aS Malton's diop-on youib centre, The Deck. Oui of goratitude t0 the peotple who befriended and r-nentored boît juso a few years agEt when be needed it anost, WVagner wants 90 do tbe same for oiher teens in town. He's Lone ofI many volunteers aa The Deck, wboch as in the basemeni oXf Miton Bible Church, 200 Main Si. Sînce it Lpened last year, i(s heeni attraci- ing impresssve nunibers of hagh school stu- dents - up 90 90 an osne Suglat. The centre provades a place oXn Thursday and Friday nagbts - t'rom 7 to 10 p.m. and 7 to Il p).in. respectavely - for bagb scbool students îo play pool, fooshaîl and ping-pong, eat pizza or Just bang out watb friends. "The youtb know it as a sale place to go," said director Oliver Clarke. Just this montb, the centre - wbicb is supported by various cburcbes around towvn - expanded to include younger students. If's now open to0 studenos in grades 6 to 8 Mondays [rom 3:30 to0 6:30 p.m. Volunteers at The Deck aim 90 befniend tbe students, providing a lastening ear and advace t0 belp tbemi make wise decisions. "Tbere's a problemr witb drugs and drink- ang and tbe youtb need someone older 90 point tbem an tbe nigbt direction and open another door," Clarke said. Tbere's no typical teen wbo attends. Some are straigbt laced, otbers bave a rougber facade, Clarke said. From 'skads' to'gotbs' to preppy kads, The Deck attracts. themn aIl. On May 29, an open bouse for parents anterested in cbecking out The Deck wall take place [rom 6:30 toi 8:30 p.m. Financially, its often difficuht to get a new program off thte ground, and Tbe Deck is always Iooking for new ways 90 fundraise. Fortunately, local businesses bave taken an interest, and organizers hope this will con- tinue. The Deck recently received $12,000 from Del Ridge Homes, and a much-needed freezer [rom Zellers. Few people understand better Ehan GRAHAM PAINE / CANADIAN CHAMPION GAME TIME: Above, Justin Easterbraak (left) and Travîs Mayhew play a game of foasbali at The Deck and Matthew Philîps and Joanna Medeîras take a break tram playing pooi ta watch. Inset left, Ginny Hardy (left) and Valerie Sîlvestri af Del Ridge Homes present a $12,000 cheque ta Oliver Clarke, dîrectar at The Wagner jusa how amportant such a place os for teens, since he bimself benefaîed [rom a samalar centre just a few years ago. In fact, Wagner saad be doesn't knlow wbere be'd be if it weren't for a couaple oXf people wbo reached out tre him when at seemed bis world was cavang on. A smale stretches across Wagners face as he sats an an office at Wl. Dick Schcsol - wbere bes doing bas bigb scbool cso-osp - and tells bow be ended up an a place where bis fle bas pur-pose and passion. 19 was wbale Wagner was an grade 7, and dealing witb bis alcLXbLlic mother and step- father that be first started banging oui at X- cape, a local youtb drop-in centre in town that's since shut down. A couple of volunteers became mentors 90 bim, including one wbo could relate 90 Wagners home situation. "Whenever I was freaking out about somnething, 1 could caîl him and he'd talk 90 me," Wagner said. Around the same time, Trafalgar Golf and C )ontry ( lub donated a few tree juio niembersbaps to N-cape, and Wagner tocsk Up golîf. la wasn't long before he was clevot- ang evcr free moment îo the sport, wbîch made the drugs some Lof bis fniends weae ato semi less appealang. Afoer the mnembersbip ran Loct and be was Xld enLXugh tEX work, Wagner îook a job as a dosbwasher wiîb a local golf club so lie cosuld wsrk, LoI bos gai-ne for irce, and was soion traveling iL) iournamients and cloong qte well. Tcs ibis day, golf bas goven Wagner sLXmethaalg poitive 0E) wLXrk toward. Hes aamang for a golfang scholarshop and plans t0 teacb in the next few years. Wagner saad be wants tEX help provode samilar opportunaties for teens tbrougb The Deck. Sbortly after bis stepfather passed away, Wagner became a Christian and binally filled the remaining void in bis life, be said. He explaied bis newfound faitb provides bim with yet another reason t0 want 90 belp teens, sbaring witb tbemn the hope bes f îund. Altbougli be canot relate to every situa- tioXn, "Pain os pain, and loss is loss,- be saod. (urrently, Wagner as belpong orgaîtaze a fLondraosiaog golf iocornanieni fEor The Deck. h 'Il take place jcoly H at Granite Rodge Golf' CIlub aO 1 p.n'. ancd cLosis $125 oi' $40 fo~r the danner only Betweeni finisbaoog hagb sebool, s clinteeo- ioog ai Thc Deck aond playang golf, \\agwo's l)Ei5, 90 say the least. Buit ibats fine s\'îoh bom. "Sometimes I donit es'en know where I fond the eniergy Then I know its God getting me îbrough the stuffi Ifs pretty sweet." For more information about The Deck, to volunteer or make a donation, caîl (905) 876-0368 or e-mail thedeckmiîton@gmail.com. To register or to make a donation for the golf toumnament, caîl Wagner or Alan Hemrng at (905) 208- 9249. Stephanie Thiessen cari be reached at sthiessen@miltoncanadianchampion.com. W7iCOGECQ Cogeco Cable Channel 14 Programming Schedule - Tuesday, May 16 -Tuesday, May 22,200 flul I.oCa bISYlSIOf 1~e S9essSM L 0pe H»M fallInes 6416 eil 12 00m Swap Talk (Replay) 1.00pe lIESE Celebsalson 4 SOpm TVCogeco Sports 1lOXOam IVcoseco SIs il OOPM Hakos His Counci ( "plW) hWp 9 2006 1:1 EXIMu XIR Sarqh li o SîsHant E"lente Sc Mes's BaseSali ASr Mes's BaseSal May 9502» www.cogeco.ca 5.11M pbid MI EXTR leOOpm Thesnem Lise Sfieli Aise" 210p. Habills) Camsal 6.00pm -Mirterght Plugged foi EXTRA 5i0çn Plupos sIn! fls X 4 00pis- Mtdnight Piaged sn' EXTRA 6A0r PIauge ln! EXTRIA 6:3p 8:0 Plg I n!s EXTRA t:0p- 00p Pliage loi EXTRA Mayp1S,2 6 OPi Haitos HUIs Cousicl NORTH HALTON STUDIO 6I IpIis OploesiaTV lugi 11p.9 SiTlk 6 XXpmn Living HeaAHy lO8pis PlîeA lIn! EXT May10 2006 Lt.) MI 7 SApm The Bostom ne e 6:SSpm A 8SSpm Pisaged lI EXTRA 9 Otpss- Midsîght Plugged sn' EXTRA Lane Plaza Pagw lnOM 9:1S4q M: Sis dm 7 SSpm i tA3pri Pluga In EXTRA 8 SEpi Uienc Norch HaIfons LareAlz 0rn At xet (Liais SpiAvais IeMmîsOs- 50 are vne9 HiIt5s MIS 091ci 10:SApa Midnight Plugged ln EXTRA 8:3lpis HCB cisiebeaio SpiOsqBee 9 OORMof Stue i 10Spm-Midnighi Plugged Is! EXTRA MiIton, ON L91 4R3 Mtta ayeo 1.1 20Ncî 905-878-9306 Melsighi Plugged In' ETRA