I stopped by the Teen Center/Public Health building in Anderson last week and what I saw brought a big smile to my face. The sunny, main recreation room was brimming with teens, all talking, laughing and taking full advantage of the facility. A dance class, led by Melissa Peterson of the Anderson Partnership for Healthy Children, was wrapping up and energy was high everywhere. Every computer in the side area was being used. Seeing that room alive with all those kids was positively uplifting.

Even though I’d been in the building several times before, I was impressed all over again. It’s of the quality and stature that you would expect to find in a large metropolitan area, yet it looks right at home in Anderson with the small-town appearance of its brick and inviting architecture.

While all those teens were enjoying themselves at the Teen Center that afternoon, a couple of other teens in town were having a very different experience. A teenage girl allegedly accidentally shot her younger teenage sister with a high-powered pellet gun. The older girl apparently thought the gun was unloaded, pointed it at her sister and pulled the trigger. The younger girl sustained upper chest injuries, to what extent, I’m not sure.

I think we’ve all heard of similar “text book” accidents, and this accident raises all the questions that have probably come to mind in the past, such as where did they get the gun, what did they really think they were doing, what role did parental or guardian responsibilities play, and so forth.

Regardless of the pros and cons of keeping any type of firearm in the home, the fact remains that people do. If a firearm is kept in a home, it’s probably safe to assume that there’s a chance the firearm will get into the hands of those who either don’t know how to properly handle or use it. To reiterate the advice of the Anderson Police Department (and numerous other law enforcement agencies), treat every gun as if it’s loaded.

It’s a shame that the two girls involved in the accident weren’t over at the Teen Center that afternoon instead of in their backyard playing with a pellet gun. Their mishap was sure a hard way to learn a costly lesson.

As Anderson keeps growing, no doubt more kids will gravitate toward the Teen Center and take advantage of its great programs, atmosphere and opportunities. Hopefully, more teens see it as the better choice as they decide what they’re going to do with their free time.