Another local business has stepped up to offer services in light of the recent school district levy failure.
Dustin and Michelle Stephan, owners of Youth Athletics Recreation Development (YARD), took to the Yelm City Council podium on July 9 to express their beliefs that their organization could fill the gaps created by the recent Yelm Community Schools levy failure.
Dustin said the organization is locally owned and operated, and described YARD as being a homegrown business. The Stephans recognize that the recent levy failure could create gaps in programs offered by YCS, and Dustin Stephan said community members, business owners and individual sponsors need to “pick up some slack” to help the district in the short term.
“YARD is prepared to step into that role and help fill those gaps where it’s appropriate. Essentially, what we currently have, a good working partnership with the city of Yelm, specifically the Parks and Rec Department. We just got done with our first annual color fun run in the city park, and it was a huge success. We look forward to future conversations about that,” Dustin Stephan said. “YARD is a sponsor in the fitness pad over here that was built a few years back. We’re actively involved with the BBQ Rally, numerous volunteer opportunities and donation sites, all that to say we’re very involved in the community. We’re housed here in the community. We both work here in the community in very direct capacities.”
Stephan said the organization serves as an athletic and academic tutoring facility, which is open to the public to serve the community. He said a primary purpose of the organization is to build future leaders of the community and to continue growing “what we have going here.”
In addition to the athletic and academic aspects of YARD, Stephan said the organization also offers life-skills courses, including cooking, CPR, babysitting, resume building and interview skills, and it’s currently developing an “intricate leadership program.” Michelle added that with community interest in a public swimming pool, a partnership with Yelm High School could be formed to create a swim team in the future.
Stephan indicated the city might be better served through pursuing partnerships, like one with YARD, than with outside agencies, such as the YMCA. He suggested, rather than the city asking voters whether they want to construct a YMCA in Yelm through a bond, that such a facility could be built or expanded by supporting already-existing businesses and organizations rather than outsourcing.
“We recognize that the community needs something bigger, such as the YMCA, which is the hot topic right now, a place where local community members, youth sports events can take place in one central location. I would argue that our facility, while small at this point, services all the things that YMCA will offer, in addition to the academic piece, [which] the YMCA doesn’t necessarily offer,” Dustin Stephan said. “Keep that in house and in the community where we have more control, more say, to a program that’s local and [has] direct ties to the community.”
He said this concept is not unheard of, and points to Centralia’s NW Sportshub as a localized example.
“Centralia, just down the road, with Lewis County, Centralia Community Schools, and the (Sportshub) program [have] a great facility down there. I would model the project similar to that, where we can host outside events, as well, keeping the revenue and family resources in the community versus outsourcing that to neighboring cities,” Dustin Stephan said.
Councilor Joshua Crossman asked the Stephans if they have plans to expand the YARD facility, located at 305 Creek St. SE. Dustin Stephan said the organization’s long-term plans are to expand the facility.
“In the long term, yes. Directly, we’re a small business and trying to cash flow the operation. The long-term goal is yes. I’d love a large facility where we could host sporting events such as basketball tournaments, volleyball tournaments, wrestling events, things of that nature,” he said. “If you’ve ever been to the HUB, it’d be very similar to that concept. We’d make sure to have an emphasis on the academic side. That’d be the main difference between what my vision is and the HUB.”
He added that he envisions the facility would be a large sports complex featuring indoor practice space and the capability to host different tournaments.
