Tuesday night, the Volunteers of America Bowden Youth Center is celebrating a milestone. The central Sioux Falls facility opened ten years ago. Since then, it's welcomed thousands of children and teens and helped many of them through tough times.

The center's made a difference in one young woman's life.

Shavar Fillmore spends her afternoons at the Volunteers of America Bowden Youth Center, and keeping all of these guys entertained and out of trouble is a full-time job.

"I'm happy and I'm excited to come to work everyday and I think that's important," Fillmore said.

Fillmore joined the staff as a youth skills educator about seven months ago, but her relationship with the center runs deeper than that.

"I really feel comfortable here; it's like a second family to me," Fillmore said.

Fillmore first set foot in the Bowden Youth Center nine years ago as a 14-year-old girl.

"It made a really big difference for me, kept me outta trouble, I really didn't have to go to the JDC or anything, because I was always here all the time playing basketball," Fillmore said.

Since then, she's not only become a trusted member of the Bowden family, but a success story who makes her mentors proud.

"I could retire here today, and feel so good about my work here, because of Shavar's story because of the impact she now has on the kids," Regional director Joan Neilan said.

"I've been coming here so long, I can't really imagine my life without having the center in it," Fillmore said.

Fillmore hopes to continue working with these guys, perhaps for another 10 years.

Officials are inviting the public to an anniversary celebration Tuesday night, complete with 10 birthday cakes, one for each year the Bowden youth center has been open. That's going on until 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. There are also other events going on until Friday.

Wednesday, July 22: The Zoomobile will be stopping by. There will be an educational talk from 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the Bowden youth.

Thursday, July 23: A full court basketball tournament with local firefighters, Bowden Youth and Bowden staff. Teams will be put together on the day of the tournament.

Friday, July 24: Hip Hop performance on the outdoor stage; it will be moved indoors if it is raining. Several performers will showcase their talents. Show will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Cherlene Richards
© 2009 KELOLAND TV. All Rights Reserved.

Tuesday night, the Volunteers of America Bowden Youth Center is celebrating a milestone. The central Sioux Falls facility opened ten years ago. Since then, it's welcomed thousands of children and teens and helped many of them through tough times.

The center's made a difference in one young woman's life.

Shavar Fillmore spends her afternoons at the Volunteers of America Bowden Youth Center, and keeping all of these guys entertained and out of trouble is a full-time job.

"I'm happy and I'm excited to come to work everyday and I think that's important," Fillmore said.

Fillmore joined the staff as a youth skills educator about seven months ago, but her relationship with the center runs deeper than that.

"I really feel comfortable here; it's like a second family to me," Fillmore said.

Fillmore first set foot in the Bowden Youth Center nine years ago as a 14-year-old girl.

"It made a really big difference for me, kept me outta trouble, I really didn't have to go to the JDC or anything, because I was always here all the time playing basketball," Fillmore said.

Since then, she's not only become a trusted member of the Bowden family, but a success story who makes her mentors proud.

"I could retire here today, and feel so good about my work here, because of Shavar's story because of the impact she now has on the kids," Regional director Joan Neilan said.

"I've been coming here so long, I can't really imagine my life without having the center in it," Fillmore said.

Fillmore hopes to continue working with these guys, perhaps for another 10 years.

Officials are inviting the public to an anniversary celebration Tuesday night, complete with 10 birthday cakes, one for each year the Bowden youth center has been open. That's going on until 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. There are also other events going on until Friday.

Wednesday, July 22: The Zoomobile will be stopping by. There will be an educational talk from 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the Bowden youth.

Thursday, July 23: A full court basketball tournament with local firefighters, Bowden Youth and Bowden staff. Teams will be put together on the day of the tournament.

Friday, July 24: Hip Hop performance on the outdoor stage; it will be moved indoors if it is raining. Several performers will showcase their talents. Show will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Cherlene Richards
© 2009 KELOLAND TV. All Rights Reserved.