On Friday, the Greater Portland Police Activities League Program will be forced to close its doors. A series of events to include the on-going reduction of governmental funding and the economic times have placed the organization in the position to need to make this difficult decision.

The closure will include both the Bud Monnes PAL Center in Gresham and the PAL Office at the Portland Police Bureau's North Precinct. The Beaverton PAL Center will remain open for the time being.

PAL returned to the Portland area in 1989 after being gone for many years. The nationally unique youth program is a partnership between all of the law enforcement agencies in Multnomah County as well as the Beaverton Police Department.

For more than 20 years, the police officers and volunteers involved in the PAL program have served tens of thousands of kids in our community.

PAL's activities include operating programs from the Gresham Youth Center, overseeing Portland youth football, National Youth Sports Camps at Portland State University, PAL Camp, fishing, archery, art programs and many other activities.

In 2012, PAL served over 3,000 kids and the Gresham PAL Center daily serves breakfast and lunch to 80-100 kids.

The closure of PAL will leave many area youth without activities and, in some cases, a place to go after school. This decision was very difficult for the Board of Directors to make, but one that will be required.

Board Member Cliff Madison stated, "It is with great sadness that this wonderful program may have to close. It has made a great impact in the lives of many kids in our community and has taken down many of the walls between Cops, Kids and Community. It will be missed."

PAL is a non-profit organization and donations can be made by visiting http://www.portlandpal.org.