Neighborhood seniors and children will have a new place to gather, play and learn when the Lakewood United Methodist Church opens its Firehouse Ministry later this year.
“The Firehouse Ministry is an outreach program that will provide after-school and weekend tutorial and play activities for children of all ages,” says Julie Povall, the ministry’s executive director.
“And students in grade four, five and six will have the opportunity for computer tutoring.”
Volunteer instructors from the church and SMU undergraduates have been teaching various computer applications to Lakewood Elementary students for five years. Because of the new church facilities, the volunteers will be able to tutor more students on the six computers donated to the church. Organizers say they hope for other donations of computer programs for the expanded classes.
The Firehouse Ministry also will be home to Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups, which volunteers will organize and sponsor when building renovations are complete.
“Seniors will have space for bridge games, arts and crafts, socials – and eventually, after the kitchen is remodeled, there will be space and accommodations for luncheons and guest speakers,” Povall says.
Volunteers from the church have been cleaning up the old firehouse at 2443 Abrams, which had been used for storage in recent years. Other members of the congregation have been repairing the structure, replacing broken windows, patching holes in the walls and roof, and coating the structure with fresh paint.
Changes at the firehouse are spearheaded by Greg Galieti, and architect and church member who recently renovated the church sanctuary. Other improvements include remodeling the two bathrooms and making those facilities, as well as the building’s entrance, accessible to wheelchairs.
The Firehouse Ministry will cost approximately $60,000, Povall says, and grants and donations to date total $26,500.
“We still have several grant applications being considered and hope to hear the results in the near future,” she says.
Among the items on the church’s wish list for the ministry are general supplies for writing and creative arts.
“We recently received a donation of a complete set of World Book Encyclopedia,” she says, “and I am in the process of developing a program for students to pick a topic from the books, write stories and create artwork that applies to their chosen subject.”
Call 823-9623 for more information about the Firehouse Ministry.
