Spark! Community Center’s mission is to provide a welcoming place where the lives of all people are enriched through a sense of community.
Imagine a safe and inviting space where people of all ages and walks of life could come together and participate in fun and educational programs. People with disabilities would no longer have to endure meaningless or boring activities while they receive services outside the home. Teens and young adults would have a place to go after school while their parents are away at work. And adults would have a place where they could find the joy of volunteering or teaching a class.
Thanks to the hard work of local disability rights activist John Fenley, parent Lisa Green, and property owner Mike Davidson, this dream is quickly becoming a reality. They are collaborating with one another to create an exciting new community center in Lebanon that will serve the entire Upper Valley and provide a vast array of activities. Participants can play card and board games, watch a movie, take a yoga class, play video games, take an arts and crafts class, take music therapy, learn interactive science, or put on a play for the community. Our facility will have something for everyone:
There will be a large on site garden where participants will form a connection with the earth and learn how to grow fresh fruits and vegetables. The Center will also provide smaller garden plots for individuals and families in the community to purchase.
We will have a large kitchen facility where participants can take cooking classes and learn the importance of health and nutrition.
At our computer lab, participants will have the opportunity to take classes on how to safely operate a computer.
The cantina will be run by volunteers and will give participants a chance to learn business skills like how to take stock of our snack inventory, restock shelves, and operate a cash register. At the cantina we will sell healthy snack that we prepare in our kitchen.
So start spreading the word, and tell all your friends about this exciting new endeavor! We need you to make Spark Center a success. I will continue to provide monthly posts to keep you updated and I encourage you to write in with any ideas you may have. And let us know if you would like to be added to our sign up sheet as a Spark ally or future volunteer. Thanks everyone!
The mission of Spark Community Center is to provide Upper Valley residents with a safe and nurturing place to have fun, make new friends, develop new skills, and collaborate on community wide projects. We are committed to creating an environment that will help everyone, especially people with special needs, meet their true potential and realize their dreams.
