A safe and welcoming place for our teens on Sunday evenings

In a small town like ours, one of the best things we can do for families is make sure our young people have safe places to spend time, build friendships, and be surrounded by adults who care about them. That is why we are sharing a new local youth opportunity that is taking shape on Sunday evenings at BRIDGE Church.

The COVE is BRIDGE Church’s youth group for students in grades 6 through 12. After an early soft launch on September 28 and an official launch gathering on November 2, the group is finding its rhythm, and it is already building steady connections with local teens.

The volunteer leadership team includes Earl and Saprina Saunders, Jake Wilson and Mikaela Pollard-Wilson and Monica Saunders, with Pastors Rick & Jenn Legacy providing support and mentorship. Their goal is simple: create a welcoming, consistent environment where teens can belong, be themselves, and grow. It is important to note that all leaders and volunteers are vetted and have completed formal background checks.

As leader Earl Saunders put it during our conversation, The COVE is “a safe place for teens… to come and just spend time with the kids that are in the same age group” while also having space to explore faith and Christian values in a supportive setting. In this setting, youth have honest conversations about real life and gain practical tools and strategies to help them deal with the challenges of our world.

A vision rooted in welcome

Looking ahead, the leaders hope The COVE becomes a steady doorway for more students, especially local teens who are simply looking for a positive place to land on a weekend evening.

Mikaela Pollard-Wilson described the long term hope as growth in both relationships and reach. The team would love to see more kids come experience “the fun and the freedom” that can come through healthy friendships and faith-centered community.

When asked how the broader community can support the group, the answer was immediate and practical: let your teens come. The leaders believe our area needs safe, caring spaces where young people can be known, encouraged, and supported, and such opportunities have been long sought after in our Indian Head community.

Why this matters to our community

Peruse any local social media group chat or sit in on any town hall meeting, and you’ll hear the recurring, very vocal, call for more safe and wholesome opportunities for our youth to steer them away from troublesome alternatives. Initiatives like the Cove at BRIDGE Church are part of the answer to that call to action.

The Voice of Indian Head effort exists to strengthen the Town of Indian Head and surrounding communities through impact, awareness, and civic engagement. One part of that is helping neighbors learn about local programs that support families and youth.  We also aim to do that in a way that is inclusive and unifying, recognizing that many community serving efforts come through civic groups, schools, nonprofits, and faith communities.

If you know of another youth program, mentorship effort, or local resource that helps our young people thrive, we would love to hear about it.

For now, the invitation from The COVE leadership is simple: come check it out, meet the team, and see if it feels like a good fit for your student.

Together, we build a stronger Indian Head, one safe place at a time.