GRAND OPENING Allen County Community Action Center
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 9:05AMCommunity Action of Southern Kentucky celebrated the GRAND OPENING of the new Allen County Community Action Center on Saturday, June 26, 2010. Community Action’s Board and Staff joined the Board of the Laura Goad Turner Charitable Foundation, three generations of the Turner family, Scottsville-Allen County Chamber of Commerce, and other elected officials and community members to celebrate this new beginning for Community Action’s services in Scottsville at 25 J.L. Turner and Son Place.
Cheryl Allen, CEO of Community Action of Southern Kentucky said, “Community Action helps the vulnerable become valuable. This new facility will provide hope and plant the seed to change lives.”
Christina Atkins, student at Allen County Scottsville High School, sang the National Anthem. VFW Post #5712 participated in the event with a flag ceremony. Other guest speakers included Laura Turner Dugas, Community Action Board Chair and Barren County Judge Executive Davie Greer, Allen County Judge Executive Bobby Young, Scottsville Mayor Robbie Cline, and Pastor Dan Smith.
Laura Turner Dugas motivated attendees to make this building the hub of activity in Scottsville saying, “As you did once before, I encourage you, as a community, to take ownership of this place and the great work that goes on here.”
The ceremony included a Time Capsule dedication. The time capsule is set to be opened in 2065 during Allen County’s 250th Anniversary. A ribbon cutting, in partnership with the Scottsville-Allen County Chamber of Commerce, closed the ceremony, and then community members took tours of the new Allen County Community Action facility beginning at the main entrance. The foyer of the building brings visitors to Community Services, which includes individual and family services through food, rent and heating assistance, garden program and educational scholarships. Also on the 1st floor is Children Services, which includes three pre-school classrooms, offices for Head Start staff, laundry facilities and a common area for staff. The commercial kitchen on the first floor will provide meals for seniors, Head Start children and cooking and food preservation classes for the community. The elevator and/or stairway leads to the 2nd floor of the facility, which includes a large multi-purpose room, computer lab and the Senior Center. The Senior Center includes a large dining area with casual seating, Senior Center staff office, recreation room and exercise room.
This building is a result of the partnership between Community Action and the Laura Goad Turner Charitable Foundation, who donated the J.L. Turner & Son Warehouse property and committed $1.75 million towards the new handicap accessible facility to house all of Community Action’s services in Allen County. To help pay for the $3 million project, the Laura Goad Turner Charitable Foundation challenged Community Action to raise $250,000, which is being matched dollar for dollar by the Foundation to support the operation of a third Pre-school classroom, if given or pledged by June 30, 2010. There is still time to make an investment in this generation and generations to come in Allen County.
The Agency provides services to children, seniors, individuals and families through a multitude of programs in Allen County. More people are expected to be served with more activities and opportunities in the new facility. Community Action of Southern KY is a part of America’s Poverty Fighting Network, which concentrates on helping people and changing lives. For more information or to donate/pledge for this capital campaign, please contact the local Community Action Community Services office at 237-4149, Charity Johnson, Public Information Coordinator by phone at 270-782-3162 or by email charity.johnson@casoky.org, or visit www.casoky.org.
