Kroc Center provides fun and learning for Salem youth

By Anna Garcia

I recently visited the brand new Kroc center; it was a blast. You can go there after school and hang out in the gym, the game room, the library, the pool, or the work out area. It is a huge new facility. I really loved it. There is a fee of five dollars for a day pass, but if you want a membership then you pay fifty dollars up front then an extra fifteen a month. So I went to the many volunteers after I bought my membership to see how things were looking with the Kroc center.

Game room -Tuesday 10/20. I talked to a paid worker who was in control of the gameroom. Her name is Ashley, so the first thing I asked her was: Do you like your job here? Her answer: Yes of course, sitting here playing video games all day, I don’t know what would be a better job, and getting paid isn’t bad either. Then I asked: What do you like most about having the Kroc open? Her answer: Well, I really like the people here. I love how you can come here and not worry about getting hurt or lost. This place is also a great place for kids and teens who don’t have a place to go just to relax.

Library- Saturday 10/24. I then visited a place full of books. The were shelves of books for the older crowd and the younger crowd; their selection was pretty large. They had a little of everything from James Patterson to Stephen King, from Rohl Dahl to Simon Seymor. When I talked to the assistant librarian, she told me that they are trying to make a system where you can check out the books.

GYM/Workout area- Saturday 10/24. When I went to the workout area there was really no assistant so I gave myself a tour. According to the rules you have to be 12 to go on the cardio, but for the weights you have to be 15. With most of the cardio equipment there is a T.V. and an iPod docking station. It also shows how far you ran with several scenarios.

Pool Area-Saturday 10/24. The pool was my next stop. There are two pools; a play area, and a workout pool. I didn’t go swimming but the rules are the usual such as, no running, modest swimwear, and no rough housing. There are also bleachers so you can watch the competitive swimmers. I like to watch the swimmers and read. Although the pool area is really warm, it is a fun place to go.

Computer Lab- I finished up at the computer lab. Here is a place with rows of laptop computers. Internet is down for now but when it is up you can check email and surf the web. You can work on documents and papers. It’s a great place to spend time when you have something to check. The laptops were generously donated by companies and The Kroc Center is very grateful.

Well my tour was great. The Kroc Center is opened 7 days a week, Monday through Saturday 6am to 10pm and Sundays 6am to 6 pm. Visit www.salemkroc.org for more information about the center.