BETHLEHEM COMMUNITY CENTER: A BEACON OF LIGHT

L to R: Carolyn Lucas, chairwoman of the Bethlehem Community Center Board, Tim Lollis, regional director for Sen. DeMint, and Mattie Haynes, executive director of Bethlehem Community Center I was afforded the opportunity last week of visiting Columbia's Bethlehem Community Center. The center's functions, to name a few, are after-school homework and tutoring assistance, family support and spiritual guidance. It makes sense that the center serves the community with fervor since the organization is rooted in community, love and compassion. In 1939, the Women's Missionary Society heard the story of a devoted housekeeper and nanny who had no place for her own children to stay while she worked. The Women's Society, in cooperation with the African-American Ministers of Columbia and the Missionary Council of the Methodist Church birthed the Bethlehem Community Center in 1945. Since then, generations of children and families have benefited from the ongoing labors of the center's dedicated workers. I sat down with their current leadership of Mattie Haynes, the executive director, and Carolyn Lucas, the chairwoman of the board, about the progress and significance of the center: Tim Lollis: How do you feel the community has benefited from Bethlehem Community Center? Mattie Haynes: Greatly. Many successful people grew up in this very neighborhood, and we believe the center played a central role in their success. Tim Lollis: How do you feel the center impacts the community on a daily basis? Mattie Haynes: We provide a safe haven for children and a support mechanism for parents that may otherwise not have either. Also, we contribute to the bigger picture. We help our city, state and ultimately our nation by developing young men and women who are prepared for greatness. Tim Lollis: What are the challenges the center faces today? Carolyn Lucas: Our greatest challenge right now is keeping the center open. Due to a number of external factors... and we are working hard to remain in this building. Mattie Haynes: Yes, we really want to stay in this neighborhood so we are asking the community to join in and help keep us here. The children need our help more than ever, and our passion is stronger than ever so we want to keep moving forward. Tim Lollis: What type of progress would you like to make within the program? Mattie Haynes: We want our template or primary focus of helping children and families to remain the same; however, we would like to expand the context of those programs by making them relevant for the future. An example would be equipping our kids with computer skills and technological know-how. Tim Lollis: Thank you very much for meeting with me and being servants of the community. You run a great program and its shows in the children. Bethlehem Community Center mural

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