The crowd enjoys music from Kids on Fire at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Punx in the Park on Saturday afternoon turned Marion Square Park into the nerve center for community resources tailored for the area’s homeless youth, but with an edgy punk rock vibe for the broader community to soak in.
Organizers estimated more than 2,000 people, including over 500 local youth, gathered at the park Sept. 14 to listen to local bands, hang out, skate, or to engage with representatives from over 60 community organizations focused on homeless and struggling youths.
Punx in the Park is put on by Salem nonprofit Punx with a Purpose, which is dedicated to supporting at-risk youth. The event, founded in 2022, is meant to serve youths 11-18, is to bring critical local resources together in one place, but to do it in a way that is cool and less formal.
Young people had access to services ranging from free haircuts and clothing, to help getting food assistance cards and health insurance. All the while several punk rock bands, both local and regional, played from the main stage as people enjoyed from afar or braved the mosh pits.
The crowd enjoys music at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)The Wild Jumps entertain the crowd at Punx in the Park from the stage at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)The lead singer of The Wild Jumps begins their set at Punx in the Park held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Free ice cream was available to youth attendees at the Punx in the Park event from the On Any Sundae food cart at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Sydney Fleming and Quinn Quiroga take a moment to relax at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. Quinn recently moved to Salem from Juneau, Alaska. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Craig Myers from Mega Foods was available to hand out fresh fruit to attendees at Punx in the Park event at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Zander Karsten gets a haircut from Janalee Livana at the free haircut station at the Punx in Park event at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Cheryl Rosecrans from Capitol Dental chats with Punx in the Park attendees about dental care at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. Many houseless youth and adults suffer from not having access to affordable dental care. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Martina Babb from Marion County housing programs was available to help Punx in the Park attendees navigate housing options for youth at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Jade Furnish, Ashlyn Burnett, and Cloud Kanarr are three longtime friends that recently finished high school and were all in attendance at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Marc Baca takes a moment from volunteering at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Happy attendees at the Punx in the Park hold up their free selections from the Heart to Soles booth at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. Heart to Soles is a nonprofit organization that donates new shoes to youth in Oregon. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)An attendee at the Punx in the Park event selects free new clothes at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)An attendee at the Punx in the Park event selects free new clothes at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Attendees wait in line at the Punx in the Park event to select free new clothes at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Shawn Cruz, director of Punx in the Park, makes an announcement from the stage at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)These attendees chose to pursue quieter activities such as sketching and drawing at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Attendees dance at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)The crowd shows their enthusiasm at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Toxi Bun fixes a bike at the Northwest Hub booth for an attendee at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. The Northwest Hub offers discounted repairs and skills training based on an individual’s ability to pay. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)The drummer from The Moondogs looks out over the audience at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)A member of the audience enjoys the music at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Kyla Fussell, youth speaker, talks about her experiences to the crowd at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)The crowd waits for a band to take the stage at the Punx in the Park event held at Marion Square Park on Sept. 14, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
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Laura Tesler has lived in Salem, Oregon for 20 years and is originally from Flint, MI. Laura has been an underwater photographer for 15 years, and is an avid scuba diver. Topside, she has been taking photographs since age 12, and currently works on assignment for the Salem Reporter, and full time purchasing land for fish and wildlife habitat in the Willamette Valley. Laura attended Oregon State University, and has traveled extensively all over the world and the United States.
