PORT ANGELES — Amber Arndt is not bashful when asked her opinion of Serenity House’s Dream Center, which began full operations last week at its new location at 535 E. First St.
“It’s a really cool place, I like it. It’s a really cool place for kids to hang out,” said the 17-year-old Port Angeles resident, who also volunteers at the Dream Center.
It’s a great place for teens to check e-mail and use computers, use the telephone, play pool, watch television, listen to music and attend support group meetings, she said.
It’s also a great place to go when it’s cold or raining outside, Arndt said.
“It’s like a home because people really care. The volunteer counselors can help you find a job and find references and find a place to live,” she said.
Arndt said she often gets to the Dream Center when it opens and stays until it closes.
Weekday operations
The Dream Center, which targets homeless and at-risk teens, operates on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Serenity House, which operates the Dream Center, received a city occupancy permit for the new location — the former Aggie’s Restaurant — on Dec. 21.
The Dream Center vacated its original site at 111 E. Third St. at the end of November.
Services were limited to handing out food downstairs at the new location until the city issued the building’s occupancy permit.
“The occupancy permit opens the door to offering all the services offered at the Dream Center’s original site,” said program director Cindy Burdine.
