Nonalcoholic lounge opens Saturday at YARS

VIENNA — The 910th Airlift Wing and the USO of Northern Ohio are hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Saturday for the new USO Lounge, in Building 201 at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station. A social gathering is at 2 p.m.

The USO Lounge at YARS, the first to operate on an Air Reserve Station in the continental United States, will feature a nonalcoholic atmosphere and provide ping pong, air hockey, gaming consoles, computers stations, a big-screen TV viewing area, high-top tables for snacking or table games and a gourmet coffee bar.

The facility will be staffed by community volunteers and YARS military members.

The establishment of this facility was envisioned by the 910th Airlift Wing chaplain, the 910th Airlift Wing Airmen & Family Readiness Office, and 910th Airlift Wing senior leadership to support YARS service members who wanted an alcohol-free alternative to the installation’s all-services club.