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December 14, 2007 - Three Rivers Convention Center Hosts A Night to Fight Teen Poverty
For Immediate Release: December 14, 2007
Contact: Tammy Koolbeck 319-929-5755
Teenage participants in the Tri-Cities area got a dose of homeless reality this fall.
The Three Rivers Convention Center, in partnership with the United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties, hosted an overnight event that exposed teens of the Kennewick, Pasco and Richland (Wash.) communities to the problems of homeless and impoverished teens. The Three Rivers Convention Center is one of three Kennewick venues managed by VenuWorks of Ames, Iowa, that serves the south central Washington region.
The program, "A Night to Fight Teen Poverty," was the Three Rivers Convention Center's response to a challenge issued by VenuWorks President Steve Peters for venues to "Make a Difference" in their respective communities. Cash donations and non-perishable items were collected to benefit Second Harvest of Tri-Cities.
Participants were issued a "survival" kit upon their arrival at the convention center. The kit included a box to sleep in, deck of cards, dice, and bowl and spoon. Their dinner was from a soup line. They also saw videos, including the independent film "The Sidewalk Never Ends," the tale of a teen runaway and her struggles. Several speakers, including doctors and members of community organizations, also talked with the teens. They slept in the secured loading dock.
The next morning, the Kennewick Police Department moved the "homeless" teens into the Three Rivers Convention Center, where they were treated to a Surprise Breakfast Buffet.
BACKGROUND
VenuWorks (formerly Compass Facility Management) is well known for its success in providing full management services for arenas, theaters, and convention centers, which are primarily under the governance of municipalities, counties, colleges, and universities. VenuWorks, headquartered in Ames, Iowa, is the third largest facilities management company in the United States, serving 26 facilities in 15 communities throughout the US. It also manages food and beverage operations and provides event booking and promotion services. VenuWorks also performs feasibility studies and consulting work for clients with existing and prospective public assembly facilities.
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