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Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Easton Area Community Center - Where God's Work is Done

Last Wednesday, I spent part of the day demonstrating the new ExpressVote XL voting machine at Easton Area Community Center, (EACC) once known as St. Anthony's. I thought it was basically an after school center for West Ward kids. I was wrong. It's actually a jewel in the rough, a community center run by dedicated people who serve everyone. They do God's work. They've been doing it, and with little recognition, for the past 67 years.

When I first walked in, I was a bit astonished to see about 20 seniors there. Some were sewing, others playing bingo. There was even a yoga class, which I joined until I was caught by someone with the county, who said I was scaring everyone away. The seniors were assisted by two very nice ladies named Midge and Gladys.

Get this. Their day starts at 8:30 am with the seniors. Around 2:00 pm, they get two hours off, but have to be back to assist the schoolchildren who start arriving at 4 pm. They often just stay there and clean up while waiting for the kids. They are very dedicated and seem to love their jobs.

At close to noon, all the seniors were all treated to a free lunch that consisted of a veggie burger, fries and veggies. These are served up by Food Director Derek, who told me he prepares 50,000 meals a year. These include dinner and a snack for the after-school kids, as well as holiday dinners at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Fathers Day and Mother's Day.

I also met Program Director Elizabeth Reyes. "It's real blessing working here," she told me. She started as a social worker with the Salvation Army, and worked there as a volunteer for six months before she began getting paid. For the past two years, she's been at EACC.

Elizabeth loves the children. "Some of them call me mom," she beamed, and showed me that her nails had been done by one of her girls.

She took me on a tour of a three-story building that has certainly seen better days.

The second floor is a basketball court with wooden floors. They host 10 teams.

The third floor is a gigantic wresting room. Though the ceiling is falling in, it boasts the oldest wrestling team in the country.

There are numerous programs for kids and seniors alike: sewing class; cooking class; computer labs; field trips to places like the State Theatre; cops'n kids, to name a few.

Elizabeth told me EACC could use a few things, which I'll list: old sewing machines; basketballs; cardboard boxes for plays; old computers and laptops (they have five); cooking utensils for the cooking class; a copy machine; and household items (awarded as prizes in bingo games). You can drop these items off at 901 Washington Street in Easton.

Instead of awarding $20,000 to restore a church steeple, I'm sure that Northampton County could and should find a little more money for this pearl, located only two blocks from the courthouse.
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14 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 5:53 AM

    who funds this group?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 6:34 AM

    St. Anthony's more recent bad pub notwithstanding, it's a reminder of what private organizations brought to these neighborhoods. Catholics established hospitals and schools and colleges - and community centers to serve local youth. Now, this is viewed negatively by an increasingly secular society that wants government to do all these things - and use taxes as a forced collection basket. Homeless shelter requires a prayer before the free sandwich? No government money for you and to hell with those you're helping with mostly private funds. If the UCC wants to follow the Italian Catholics' example and construct an enormous three-story building to serve the community, I'd be willing to listen to their $20,000 plea. But they're cheapskates who want the rest of us to make pretty the building they failed to maintain.

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  3. Bernie O'HareSeptember 10, 2019 at 8:51 AM

    The EACC does already get a lot of public funding, but I'd like to see more. It is a very worthwhile organization that actually helps people of limited means, along with those in the dawn or twilight of their lives.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 8:55 AM

    6:34 am Trumpster

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 9:08 AM

    Yeah, local taxpayers who support places like EACC and criticize spending $20K on a church's steeple are definitely cRaZy Trumpsters. Pavlovian 8:55's got it all figgered out. I'm sure all of Trump's opposition is not this profoundly retarded. But it's cause for concern.

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  6. MTSeptember 10, 2019 at 10:04 AM

    Wow something good going on in Easton. Great to see

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  7. E MestSeptember 10, 2019 at 10:07 AM

    Great article Bernie. Who knew all of this? I may donate some things there.

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  8. E MestSeptember 10, 2019 at 10:09 AM

    Great article Bernie. Who knew all of this? I may donate some things there.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 10:41 AM

    For those who brought Trump into this, and then responded to the guy who brought Trump into this - just frigging stop already.

    Please and thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 1:09 PM

    It would be wonderful to see a total renovation or how about a new building with green space for the kids? Isn't it time??

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  11. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 5:08 PM

    The country executive could have told his people to put it in the grants budget if he wanted. It would be another cardboard check photo op.

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  12. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 6:22 PM

    Great organization. I donate 100% of my United Way Contributions to them.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousSeptember 11, 2019 at 12:51 AM

    Larry Holmes started boxing there with Ernie (I can't remember his last name) he worked at the prison.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2019 at 1:04 AM

    Ernie Butler.

    ReplyDelete

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