ATLANTIC CITY — You know the Police Athletic League as a place where young people become young athletes.
But if that’s all you know about PAL, you’re missing a lot.
For some city children, PAL provides a safe and fun way to spend time after school until their parents get home from work.
After 4 p.m. on a recent Monday, groups of young people at the PAL building on North New York Avenue were boxing, dancing, playing basketball and taking a computer class.
About 100 adults and 250 seniors also make use of the building during the year, along with about 200 children, said Sgt. Will Santiago, Atlantic City PAL executive director.
“This is a building for the community,” Santiago said. “All types of people come for all different uses.”
For instance, an English as a Second Language class was started on the first floor this year. Adults make use of the building mostly from 5 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. The children’s programming is restricted to the second and third floors, Santiago said.
There are no specific fundraisers for either the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, but Santiago said he has big plans for next year.
“We have to reinvent ourselves. We can’t stay with the old technology,” Santiago said.
As an extension of the English as a Second Language class, Santiago said, he is going to help teach the Spanish class for young people. He also wants a winter conditioning class to start in February for the baseball season.
An entrepreneur business class will be held where students ages 15 to 17 will learn how to do silk screenings with equipment the organization plans to buy.
Basketball and boxing tournaments have been held in the past to raise funds for PAL, and Santiago wants people to come and tour the property to see where their money is going.
“We will continue to do new ideas,” Santiago said. “We are looking forward.”
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