It's All Fun and Games at Community Center's Club Friday

On October 1, elementary and middle school students in Potomac will have one more reason to celebrate when the final bell rings on Friday afternoon. On Friday the Potomac Community Center will launch its wildly popular Club Friday program for the 2010/2011 school year.

"It really started out as an idea to give kids a safe and fun place to come on a Friday evening after a week of school and grew into a phenomenon," said Linda Barlock, the former director of the Potomac Community Center who retired last June, but has returned to the center to help with special projects like Club Friday.  "It's now the hottest ticket in town!"

Club Friday, a youth club program open to Montgomery County students in grades 3 through 6, began at the community center 20 years ago.  Children have the opportunity to meet at Potomac Community Center from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. almost every Friday from October to mid-April. Participants must apply for a membership to the program and pay an annual fee of $65.

During Club Friday, kids can enjoy a variety of activities – dance parties with live DJ's; movie screenings; arts and crafts projects; pick-up games of indoor hockey, soccer or basketball; group games like pool, billiards, bingo, ping pong and board games; video game tournaments; or simply socializing with their friends.

"The kids actually want this program, they really own it," Barlock said. "Basically, on Friday nights, the entire building is at their disposal."

With a maximum capacity of 550 children, the center usually maintains a waiting list of more than 50 students every year who hope to get into the program.

One of the reasons for the program's popularity is that it provides children with the opportunity to continue friendships outside of the school environment, said Emily McDonell, the current director of Potomac Community Center.

"Everyone from the community is here. You might be at the same temple or church or on a swim team together, but not attend the same school," McDonell said. "This is a place everyone can be together."

The program is administered by the staff at the community center and at least 30 parent volunteers each Friday. All parents whose children participate in the program are required to volunteer once during the year.

"Kids really enjoy it," McDonell said.  "And parents get to have a date night.  That in itself is a community service!"