Tim Weuner is looking to become a volunteer for the new Thomas Toy Community Center.

His services could be beneficial considering that as many as 200 volunteers are being sought to help operate the 8,000-square-foot teen center at the southwest corner of Fremont and Yosemite avenues (602 E. Yosemite Ave.) for local seventh- through- 12th grade students.

Weuner was among those attending Thursday’s open house. He displayed some of his art work while checking the boxes on the Volunteer Interest Form on helping out on the front desk, mentoring, and the Media Room.

Executive Director Albino Moreno is anticipating a fall opening for the Thomas Toy Community Center. He’s still looking for volunteers to help with assembling of such items as the pool table and some furniture, in order to furnish the place.

“We need volunteers to open – it’s key for us,” he said.

Administrative Assistant Michelle noted that the volunteer open house was a way of trying to build a volunteer base. She said the event was advertised via newspaper, social media, the local high schools, churches, and Manteca Youth Focus, to name a few.

Besides the front desk, mentoring, and media center – the latter consists of podcasting, audio recording, and video capture & editing – volunteers are needed to do bike repair, automotive, and skateboards; operate the on-site café; do gardening; lead in arts & crafts; perform, play, or assist classes in music; and monitor students in game / rec room.

The goal is to provide a safe place to help teens make connections, interact, grow, learn, and serve in a person-to-person setting and not the virtual reality disconnected connected world of the Internet populated with avatars.

Those attending the open house toured the facility, which included the spacious recreation & game room, the repair shops, the large meeting rooms, and the media center, to name a few.

The commitment level for those looking to help out started out as “as little as two hours a month,” the interest form said.

There are 11 general areas volunteers are needed:

*Mentoring: Emotional, educational, spiritual, music, mechanical, and business.

*Workshop: Bike repair, automotive (oil change and tire repair) and skateboards.
*Front desk: Answering phones and registering students/check-ins

*Café: Make coffee, serve snacks, prepare food, and work the cash register.

*Janitorial services: Clean bathrooms, wipe tables, and clean floors.

*Gardening: Plant and maintain planter boxes.

*Arts & crafts: Painting, needlepoint, jewelry making, and other.

*Music: Play at events, teach, or be an assistant for a class.

*Game/rec room: Monitor students, movie night volunteer, play games with students, and exercise class.

*Media room: Podcasting, audio recording, and video capture and editing.

*Event volunteer: Chaperone students check-in food/drink service, event set-up, other duties as need.

The teen center hours will be Monday through Friday from 2 to 7 p.m. with some weekends.

Volunteer hours can change based on need.

Volunteers are required to complete Live Scan prior to working with students.
 More information can be found at thomastoycc.org or by calling 209-407-2568.