Local youth arts center holds fundraiser

A local youth arts center is trying to raise money to send its dance team to competitions.

The Leavitt Center in Pocatello held a fundraiser Saturday night for the cause.

The director and one of the teachers at the center said the goal was to raise $500 with the fundraiser. So it invited a middle school band to perform to help raise money.

The Leavitt Center is also known by “Empower Humanity.” The center has a goal to help the community in any way it can. It teaches kids music, dancing and theater. It also leases the space to community events.

The director said the building helps everyone in the community who has an interest in the arts, and it wants to help kids further their goals in the arts.

It’s currently trying to send its dance team to competition so it’s trying to raise money.

It invited the band “Falling Up” to perform for the fundraiser. “Falling Up” is a band of middle school kids. A couple of the members used to take classes at the center, so the band said it was fun for them to be able to give back in some way.

“It’s our opinion that there really isn’t any other place for children to explore any sort of desire to expand their performing arts abilities,” said Cindy Keller, the band’s manager, and mom to two members. “They have such a vast array of classes and instructors here that it’s just kind of an all-inclusive business so we think it’s great and we want to support them and help them grow and be successful.”

The center said money raised goes toward the dance team and all other money raised always goes back to the kids and the community. The center also supports the “Underground Railroad” program, which tries to help end sex slavery. The center is located at 1030 E. Sublette Street in Pocatello.