8/2/07
After the storm, Youth Café is back in business
By Philip Gibbons

KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY/Manning Times

Despite a yearlong hiatus while its facility was under repair, Manning’s Solid Rock Youth Café is back in business. An air hockey table makes a great place for teens to congregate and compete.

It all started when Dr. Dorwin T. Moore, cofounder and board member of the Solid Rock Youth Café, looked around Clarendon County and noticed that something important was missing.

“Emmanuel Baptist’s youth minister [Mike Jewell], myself, and Mr. Ray Morris saw a need for a youth center here,” said Moore. “The young people needed a place to call their own and use as a moral builder.”

Founded in November 2005, the Solid Rock Youth Café was established to give teenagers a chaperoned gathering spot, where they could have fun and stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, it was temporarily knocked out of commission when a storm came through last summer.

“The entire roof blew off, and the rain that came through destroyed everything. All the stuff downstairs was water-damaged, and the entire ceiling had to be replaced,” said Moore.

Due to all the necessary repairs and renovations, The Solid Rock Youth Café closed down for a year, which gave Moore and others plenty of time to apply a corner-to-corner overhaul. New upstairs windows were installed, and a five-ton air conditioning system was put in place.

Revisions weren’t limited to the building itself. When the teenaged patrons returned to the Café after the doors reopened, they were surprised to find new rules and policies awaiting them.

“When we first started, we had no membership aspect; everybody could just walk in,” said Moore. “Sometimes kids who were in trouble would run in and use our building to hide out. But after we opened back up, we established a new set of rules and forced a signup policy. The kids didn’t like the rules at first, but they got used to them.”

Membership is required due to the age limitation at the Solid Rock Youth Café. In order to participate, visitors must be within the range of 13-19 years old. Signup requires a form of photo identification – those who cannot provide it are shown the door. Once registered, a Café membership card is issued. The rules are posted outside and in two places inside.

“We aren’t a babysitting service,” Moore said. “And the rules are enforced. If you misbehave, you get kicked out.”

In addition to a limited food menu, the Solid Rock Youth Café hosts a considerable number of activities.
“We have a 53-inch television hooked up to an XBOX 360 and a Gamecube,” said Moore, “and billiards and air hockey tables. There’s a large television in the back where kids can hook up their own games. We also have four computer terminals set up with access to the Internet. Time on the Web is limited to 30 minutes, and is diligently monitored to prevent users from surfing inappropriate content.”

Although three of the major contributors to the Café are members of the Emmanuel Baptist Church, Moore made it clear that Solid Rock is actually a completely independent structure.

“We have too many churches in the county competing, and it’s too hard to say ‘Let’s have Emmanuel Baptist Church’ do this. The fact that the contributors are all members of that church is a coincidence,” he said.

The Café is open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. On Tuesday nights, a Bible study designed for teenagers is held from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Youth attendance, according to Moore, is very positive. On a given Saturday night, an estimated range of 40-60 people may show up.

Moore has urged help from the county to keep the establishment running.

“We rely primarily on donations and contributions to keep the Solid Rock Youth Café running, in addition to the revenue collected from food. Most businesses in Clarendon County have provided funding for us, but it’s never enough. We are in the process of applying for faith-based federal and state grants, but until then, we need the community’s support.”

While the Solid Rock Youth Café is about fun and fellowship, the underlying purpose is of a much more serious nature. It’s a place where young people go to get set on the right path.

“Some young people just don’t have direction in life whatsoever,” said Moore. “But through Bible studies, we’ve managed to save at least four of them. That’s the whole purpose of this. The kids need to know that this world is tough enough as it is, but we want to share Christ with them. The only way to do that is with adults.”