The East Liverpool Area Community & Learning Center – Morning Journal News
<!–
The East Liverpool Area Community & Learning Center first opened its doors in May of 2016. It has remained open now seven days a week for over five years although it was forced to close briefly over year-end 2021 by COVID-19.
Most center volunteers are retirees but a few find time to help at the center while still working their regular jobs. The first volunteers at the center were Bill and Donna Gray. The Grays collect and lecture about locally produced pottery ware. They spent months renovating a former church luncheon room into a Display Room for just a portion of their vast collection of Harker Pottery. Today it is still the exhibit highlight for visitors to the Community & Learning Center.
Both Grays have since taken their turn serving as volunteers on the Board of Trustees of the HHH Foundation which oversees the Center operations. There are 12 volunteer Board of Director members. They are David Conley, Steven Cooper, Donna Gray, Darlene Kinsey/Johnston, Charles Lang, Jim Lewis, Linda Henderson, William Miller, Mike Parkes and Roger Sanford and more recently Don Jones and Michael Stenger. Half were original Directors.
On Sept. 14 the center held its first in a series of six Legacy & Legends Lectures featuring local Author Gary Cornell in the Farmers Room. Cornell discussed his most recent book entitled “Unearthed.” Future Lectures are scheduled on Tuesday evenings beginning Oct.12 with Columnist/Humorist Fred Miller. On Nov. 16 the topic is the East Liverpool Carnegie Library with Director Melissa Persic as the presenter.
The second half of the Lecture Series begins on April 12, 2022 when attendees will learn of Newell’s Laurel Hollow Park and on May 10 is Marcus & Ki Trelaine who will speak of the challenges of renovating their historic Wells homestead in Newell Heights. Finally on June 14 will be the story of The Hall China Company, the last operating pottery manufacturer in East Liverpool. These lectures are an important source of revenues to help meet the operating expenses of the center and they have netted $6,000 this year.
At its Quarterly meeting of the Board of Directors on Oct. 11 the Board will receive a status report on the roof of the main building, accept a major Endowment Fund donation in the name of Mary Sue Lang and will consider the investing of those funds. They will also elect its officers. Also they will vote to accept the donation of hundreds of classic movies collected by Scott Kidd. As a volunteer Kidd led a Thursday Movie Nite held in the surround sound, widescreen Theatre at the center. The Board will vote to name the theatre in honor of Kidd.
The hospitality volunteers at the center greet guests, give tours, take phone calls, schedule events, explain the many displays, they show renters to their rental spaces, open and close the center daily in accordance with the Volunteer Manual. Custodial contractor Greg and wife Brandy are the only compensated persons at the center.
Some hospitality volunteers have served at the center since inception. In the order of length of service of these volunteers they are Bill and Donna Gray, Jim Lewis, Charles Lang, Tracy Adkins, Ruth Woodyard, Fred and Linda Henderson, Mike Parkes, Gay Ann Mossman, Don Jones, Mike and Connie Stenger, Betty Patterson, Becky Lang, Rex and Sally Haynes from Chester and Greg Rayburn.
The center is always seeking additional volunteers who enjoy meeting people and helping meet their needs. It requires only brief training. Applications are available at the center at 110 Maine Blvd. next to the East Liverpool High School.
Because of the number and diversity of the rooms, there has been a great variety of learning opportunities offered at the center. There have been classes on tap dancing, fly casting, ballroom dancing, Spanish lessons, knitting, gardening and baton twirling, piano lessons to mention a few. Sponsors pay nothing for the use of the center and provide important activities for participants.
Presently free children’s art classes are offered each Monday afternoon. Students learn to paint with oil and watercolor, sketch and create pottery artwork on a real Potter’s Wheel. Margaret Myers is a full-time art teacher at the East Liverpool Middle School and she donates her time and talents opening young minds to new ways to express themselves. Classes are open to any child from throughout the tri-state area. Adult art classes are also available by appointment.
Another regularly employed volunteer who donates her time is Renee Anne Stewart, who administers the center’s webpage that can be accessed on the phone or computer by entering the name of the center. This has become the best source of information about the center and is presented in a artful and interesting fashion. It has been a good source of the many rentals at the center for celebrations of all sorts and also for attracting outside visitors to the city.
Many volunteer clubs and service organizations make the center their home while performing important activities in the community. Three service clubs now meet there including the Rotary Club, the Lions Club and Kiwanis. Three recovery classes are held at the center each week led by dedicated leaders. Dedicated community volunteers lead a Cub Scout Pack that gather there on Monday evenings as well as holding some events there. Guardians of the Children is a club of bikers about 30 strong who are chartered to serve abused children working with the court system. The Guardians have their own room at the center and they sponsor many activities for children.
The Fitzjohn Foundation Board of volunteers chaired by Michelle Bernardi meets at the center quarterly to plan for and award music scholarships to area high school and to college students wishing to further their musical studies and lessons. Scholarships are available to students throughout the entire tri-state area.
A band comprised of former East Liverpool High School band members meets on Monday evenings in the center Auditorium to prepare for area parades. The public is invited to come and listen to their music. In the past the Alumnae Band Majorettes preparing for area parades have held their practices in the Dining Hall.
The center charter states it is a place for people to meet in order to help each other while giving of their own talents and time making a difference in the lives of their neighbors. If you have something to share with others and are looking for an outlet to do so, contact the Community Center any day between noon and 5 p.m. or phone 330-303-2110 to volunteer.