Kids in the community may finally have a place to go hang out.

(Left to Right) En-Gedi Board Members Robert Frostick, Sue Wolfe, Kevin Pike, Rachel Couturier, Todd Hanson. CJ Maurer, Tom Holloway. Missing is Marilyn Magnuson.

En-Gedi, a Cedar Springs non-profit dedicated to strengthening the community through the building up of families, is riding a huge wave of excitement with the announcement of a “gifted location” and the kick-off of a community survey. En-Gedi has spent the last several months completing a well-defined set of by-laws, goals and objectives, and all the necessary state and federal governmental forms.

Pastors Joe Sturgeon and CJ Maurer recently presented En-Gedi board members with an offer to use The Dive, a newly remodeled area specifically for young people, located in  The Springs church, in downtown Cedar Springs, as a temporary home. En-Gedi, meaning “oasis—a place to be refreshed,” is currently focusing on providing students 6- 12th grade with “The Place” to hang out, mentoring and tutoring, intramural athletic programs, and special events such as concerts, dodge ball, skateboard course, and more.  The En-Gedi Board is now working on establishing regular hours at the The Dive for area youth and hope to open doors soon. Adult volunteers, computers, and additional funding are needed.

“The Dive is a fabulous opportunity and a generous gift. This will allow En-Gedi to become more regularly accessible to the young people we want to serve,” commented En-Gedi Board Chairman Tom Holloway.

A survey is the first stage of the community assessment that En-Gedi is currently conducting, after consulting with SCORE (Counselors to America’s Small Business) official, Bob Cooper and City Manager, Christine Burns. En-Gedi has contracted with two Grand Valley State University graduate students to create, monitor, and tabulate the survey. The consultants will then analyze the survey and objectively evaluate the present state, dynamics of the community, and the potential impact of En-Gedi. They will evaluate the needs, identify strengths and resources, and provide the En-Gedi board with information necessary to make informed decisions about programs and services and possibly a permanent youth center.

“We are hopeful a few thousand area students and residents will complete the easy online or paper survey by January 31 in order to provide as much input as possible for a thorough community assessment. Please share this opportunity with all your neighbors and friends,” said En-Gedi Board Member Marilyn Magnuson.

The online survey is free and McAfee Secure, TrustE, and Better Business Bureau certified. Simply connect to http://EnGediCommunitySurvey.blogspot.com. For paper copies of the survey see Rachel at Copies Plu,s located on Main Street in Cedar Springs or call Sue at 696-8432. If you would like to become involved with En-Gedi or contribute to this organization, please send your donation to En-Gedi at 300 Prairie Run, Cedar Springs, MI 49319 or e-mail Pastor Tom Holloway at tkholloway@charter.net.

En-Gedi is a Christ-centered 501 (c) (3) organization made up of pastors and community leaders.