Citizens Insurance and Howell Parks and Recreation Unveil New Internet Cafe at the Howell Teen Center

The Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority, together with Citizens Insurance today unveiled the Howell Teen Center's newest edition, the Internet Cafe, located downtown at the Barnard Community Center, 415 N. Barnard Street. The Cafe was made possible through contributions of $15,000 from Citizens' parent company's foundation, The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation. Additionally, more than a dozen Citizens employees joined together with other local individuals and businesses to supply manpower, tools and furnishings for the project.

The grant is in line with Citizens' long, proud history of supporting the community it calls home, helping it to thrive and succeed by placing a special emphasis on education and inspiring and empowering youth to achieve their full potential.

"I am very pleased that Citizens was able to support our community's youth through this donation. But, I am even more proud to see the number of our employees who helped create the vision of the Internet Cafe and stepped up and volunteered to bring the project to fruition," said Paul J. Mueller, regional president for Citizens and The Hanover Insurance Group. "Clearly, the Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority's goal to offer students access to the internet to enhance their studies, aligned well with our organizations' commitment to helping teens recognize their potential by providing the education, social support and the academic tools that they need to succeed."

Catering to students from ages 12-18, the 500-square-foot Internet Cafe will host five new computers connected to the internet, wireless access and be open from 3-6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

"We are thrilled to unveil the Internet Cafe to students. From the very beginning the Howell Teen Center has been a place where teens can come together in a supportive environment. And, since it opened in 2003, hundreds of students have enjoyed all of the educational, recreational and social opportunities that the center has to offer," said Deborah E. Mikula, Director of the Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority.

Mikula continued, "The Internet Cafe will offer teens even more incentive to participate in the center and make research, studying and schoolwork even more convenient. We would like to thank Citizens Insurance and all of the other organizations and local businesses that stepped up to the plate and helped make this a reality, including Irish Construction, Zimmerman Masonry, the City of Howell, Dinning Electric, Pittsburgh Paints, Lattitude CommTech, and Kelly Hansen Interiors & State Street Studios among others."

The Internet Cafe was unveiled during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, February 27, attended by Mayor Geri Moen, other local officials and more than 50 teens.

About the Howell Teen Center

Led by a wonderfully creative and enthusiastic staff, the Howell Teen Center is located right in the heart of downtown Howell at the Barnard Community Center, 415 N. Barnard Street. It is THE place for youth aged 12-18 to hang out, take classes, play pool, see live bands, go on field trips, and much, much more. While some activities have costs associated with them to cover our expenses, daily admission to the Teen Center is free.

From the very beginning, this has been a place where teens can come to gather with friends, interact with adults on relatively equal footing, gain recognition for their efforts and skills, make choices about what they will do and how they will do it, all in a place that is teen friendly and teen driven.

The center first opened its doors back in May 2003. Since then, literally hundreds of teens from the Howell area have enjoyed the many recreational and social opportunities available. Our center is committed to being an important part of our community -- it is the ONLY one in Livingston County.

Supported in part by a grant from the Livingston County United Way.

About The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation

The mission of The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc. is to improve the quality of life in communities where The Hanover Insurance Group companies have a major presence, placing a special emphasis on helping to build world class public education systems and inspiring and empowering youth to achieve their full potential.

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., based in Worcester, Mass. is a leading provider of auto, home and business insurance in Massachusetts.

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. is the holding company for a group of insurers that includes The Hanover Insurance Company, also based in Worcester; Citizens Insurance Company of America, headquartered in Howell, Mich., and their affiliates. The Hanover offers a wide range of property and casualty products and services to individuals, families and businesses through an extensive network of independent agents, and has been meeting its obligations to its agent partners and their customers for more than 150 years. Taken as a group, The Hanover ranks among the top 40 property and casualty insurers in the United States.