Arviat (Jan 17/07) - Swarms of Arviat kids were grinning from ear to ear when the Mikilaaq Centre Drop-in opened its door for the winter earlier this month.

The drop-in normally is open for the winter months from October through March.

The reopening was delayed this year due to co-ordinator Lynne Rollins and assistant co-ordinator Nadine Lamoureux taking a well-deserved holiday.

The drop-in was renovated this past summer with funding from the department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth and the Churchill Hudson Bay diocese.

It features activities such as pool, table soccer, hockey, chess and other board games.

Youth can also read a good book, take part in a card game or play educational games on a computer.

Still others come just to chat with their friends.

Rollins says the drop-in is run by volunteers who donate their time and talents to ensure everyone is safe and having a good time.

She says sales at the canteen and store help to cover utility costs and keep the building functional.

"It was a very successful opening evening," says Rollins.

"We've had busier nights because there were other events going on in town, but our first night went well.

"In fact, it was nice that our first night wasn't overly crowded because that helped us get back into the swing of things."

The drop-in is open Friday and Saturday night from 7 p.m. until midnight, with a curfew in place at 10 p.m. for kids under 13 years of age.

Rollins says the fact so many kids are volunteering their time to help run the canteen and keep the drop-in open shows how important it is to local youth.

"The kids line up for activities and we keep a schedule for each game, some in the 50-minute range and others in the 20-minute range.

"We try hard to make sure nobody gets left out and everyone has a turn at what they want to do.

"You can't sign more than once for the same game unless nobody else signs up.

"We don't let the kids monopolize any game."

Rollins says she and Lamoureux felt bad about taking their holidays in the fall and keeping the centre closed longer than usual, but, at the same time, they realized they needed the break.

She says the two returned to a constant barrage of questions on when the drop-in would be open.

"We waited until after the holidays because there were plenty of activities going on in town during that time.

"It's mostly younger kids who really love this place.

"We have more teens come in after curfew because they have the space to themselves, but we constantly have little kids in here every evening and they just love the time they spend here."