Grayslake youth center The Oasis set to close
The Oasis, a nonprofit youth center in downtown Grayslake, will close its doors after providing a free place for local youth to spend time for the past 11 years.
Located at 151 Hawley St., The Oasis opened April 8, 2008, and in its early years hosted 15,000 to 20,000 annual visitors, who'd show up to hang out after school or come by on the weekends to see free concerts, according to founder Joyce Campbell.
Campbell, a State Farm insurance agent based in Grayslake, said attendance began to decline about four years ago. In the last 12 months, the number of visits fell below 2,000.
She attributed the decline to several factors, including the proliferation of the smartphones that have changed the way young people socialize. The number of kids who visited The Oasis to use computers also dropped after Grayslake-area schools began giving every student a laptop. "It just got to the point where, because kids socialize differently, we're not needed anymore," Campbell said. "It was extraordinarily difficult to come to that decision, but I also understand that as things change you have to change with it."
Campbell said she had the idea to build a teen center about 20 years ago. She and a team of volunteers raised more than $100,000 to make that dream a reality.
When they went to the village board seeking help in finding a home, officials allowed them to operate out of an old municipal building that was slated for demolition. What followed was an extensive, all-volunteer rehab to ready the old building for its new mission.
Along with the initial money they raised, Campbell said, she and a volunteer board raised about $80,000 a year to pay for staff and expenses. The nonprofit never received government grants or taxpayer money, she added.
"It became an ethical question to go out and ask people to make a $10,000 donation when we're not serving nearly as many kids as we used to," Campbell said.
And with the minimum wage set to rise in Illinois, volunteers would need to raise even more money to cover payroll.
Board member Greg Henkin, a private music teacher, said the board took its time in coming to the difficult decision.
"I am indeed heartbroken that this felt like our smartest option, but at the same time I am grateful for all of the support we've felt over the years, as well as what we were able to accomplish," said Henkin, who helped run the live music at The Oasis. "It's really quite remarkable that we pulled this off for as long as we did."
Organizers have planned a final open mic night from 2:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday, April 27. Campbell said The Oasis also will host Santa Claus one final time on Black Friday.
Kirk Smith, a spokesman for the village, said Grayslake trustees have yet to formally discuss what to do to The Oasis building.
Campbell said The Oasis will donate much of its computer and gaming equipment to the Grayslake Area Library, which has a teen space.
"Joyce is a fantastic volunteer," Jill Alfrejd, a spokeswoman for the library. "She's involved in pretty much everything in town that helps people."
Campbell said the reward for herself, the other volunteers and the paid staff was in helping local youth.
"Our board has been working tirelessly for 12 years. At the end of every event we would look at each other and say, 'OK, how we going to make it better next year?'" Campbell said. "It's been a real honor to have been able to have to done this for so long. There's nothing like this community, which is so strong, it really is. It's just been an honor."