Fort Smith (May 02/05) - A group of volunteers is keeping the doors open for youth at Uncle Gabe's Friendship Centre.

It closed at the end of March because of government funding cuts, but on April 12, it was back in business, thanks to 10 people who formed the Volunteers for Youth Committee.

"The youth centre is fulfilling a vital need in our community," says Louise Beck, chair of the volunteer committee.

Beck, who works at Uncle Gabe's as a victim services co-ordinator, says most of the other volunteers also work at Uncle Gabe's, while others are from the community.

Funding dried up for six NWT youth centres with the end of a national program called Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centres, which may still be renewed by the Department of Canadian Heritage. The other centres are also operated by friendship centres in Hay River, Inuvik, Yellowknife, Fort Simpson and Fort Providence.

Bernice Bourke, 13, says it's "cool" the volunteers have saved the Fort Smith youth centre.

Bernice says she had been hoping someone would help the young people, and would like to see more people will get involved. Prior to the funding cut, the youth centre operated seven days a week.

It had received $135,000 annually. That funding helped employ three full-time workers and two casuals, who lost their jobs when the funding ended.

The volunteers will operate the youth centre from 5-9 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The lunch program is using up the rest of its existing supplies and volunteers are now bringing in food.

On April 27, Salt River First Nation donated $1,000 to help run the lunch program.

Uncle Gabe's has also discussed possible financial help from Smith's Landing First Nation, the Fort Smith Metis Council and the Town of Fort Smith.

Teresa Dore, the director of aboriginal programs with the Department of Canadian Heritage in Ottawa, says minister Liza Frulla is expected to make an announcement on the future of funding sometime this week.