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Events

There’s always something happening at Cuyuna Range Youth Center! Our events give young people opportunities to connect, have fun, build friendships, try new things, and feel part of a supportive community.

Throughout the year, we host a variety of activities for youth and families, including teen dances, special theme nights, seasonal celebrations, creative and educational activities, community events, fundraisers, and more.

Many of our events are designed with input from the youth we serve, helping them build leadership skills while creating experiences they’re excited to be part of.

Whether it’s a fun night at the Center, a community celebration, or an event that helps support our programs, each gathering helps us continue creating a safe, welcoming place where local youth can belong, grow, and thrive.

Check out our upcoming events and join us!

9/11 Day

From September 8–12, the Cuyuna Range community came together to honor the lives lost on September 11 through service, kindness, remembrance, and connection.

What began with an ambitious goal became an incredible example of what can happen when a community works together.

On September 8, volunteers from Deerwood Legion Care-N-Share, Cuyuna Range Youth Center, The Community Effect, and other partners from across the region joined forces to prepare more than 2,600 homemade meals in a single day.

CRYC set a goal of preparing and distributing 2,977 meals — one in remembrance of each life lost on September 11, 2001. By the end of the week, the community had surpassed that goal, providing more than 3,000 meals and sandwiches to families, seniors, and organizations throughout the Cuyuna Range.
 

Throughout the week, youth, students, volunteers, organizations, and community members participated in service projects and acts of kindness, including:
 

  • Meal preparation and delivery

  • Yawkey Mine Trail cleanup

  • Brainerd Soup Kitchen cleaning

  • A pizza gathering with residents of Dellwood Apartments

  • School-wide kindness activities

  • 9/11 Kindness Bingo

  • Random acts of kindness and words of affirmation

  • Kindness signs and remembrance rock painting

  • CRYC cleanup projects

  • Youth-led service projects throughout the community
     

Central Lakes College students also participated in 15 different service projects, with 83 volunteers contributing 218 hours of service as part of the 9/11 Day of Service.

One of the week's most meaningful moments happened at Dellwood Apartments, where CRYC youth shared pizza, conversation, and laughter with residents, creating an opportunity for genuine connection across generations.

Students participating in Cuyuna Connect also brought kindness into their homes through Cuyuna Range Elementary's Kindness Bingo, encouraging families to talk together about remembrance, service, and the impact even small acts of kindness can have.

The week also included the Cuyuna Range Lions 9/11 Community Breakfast, which brought together nearly 200 people, followed by meal deliveries, a community celebration, and a remembrance walk. Even severe weather couldn't stop the community's momentum.

What began as a week of remembrance became a week of action, unity, and youth-led impact.

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