The Boys and Girls Club of Williams Lake is hoping that anime will help youth to break out of their shell.

An anime open house will be taking place next month as the Club eyes holding sessions on the subject this spring.

Executive Director, Deana Conde Garza says it’s something that she believes is needed in town.

“It was brought up by a couple of people within the Williams Lake area that work with some of the youth and children that are a little bit introverted and quieter, and it seemed to be that they had a common denominator and the common denominator was anime,” she said.

“So we thought this would be a great thing to get a whole bunch of those children and youth together and actually do something that would be enjoyable for them.”

Conde Garza says as well as anime artists and enthusiasts, they’re also working with the Library.

“They’re going to host some of the anime that they’re doing in a special area with Darren Smith,” she said.

“I just think it is something that is needed in town and we have some really great teachers for that so learning Japanese a little bit, just doing some other kind of things with the youth, and hopefully, that will roll into what we’re looking for is three artists to do murals on the back end of the building.”

The anime open house in which there will be activities, surveys, snacks and refreshments available takes place on Feb. 11 from 3 until 5 pm.