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| A new Director!. November, 2007 |
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| The a new Center Director in town. |
The Center has a new honcho. Meet Melodie Russell.
Melodie Russell is a very busy person. Whether she’s in her office or at a community function she is constantly besieged with cell phone calls, pressing interruptions and annoying distractions. Yet, she manages to hold everything together with a pleasant smile.
Mrs. Russell has a lot of work cut out for her. As the new Executive Director of the Center she has inherited a hodge-podge of problems that need her immediate attention. Everyone talks about the glory days when P.D. Mitchell successfully managed the Center and they have high hopes that Mrs. Russell can fill his shoes.
To speak about the history of the Center is to invoke cautious speech in hushed tones. Stories of alleged mismanagement in the past has soiled the Center’s reputation. Innuendos of financial bickering and political infighting have taken its toll on the facility. The building needs renovation work and maintenance upgrades.
Mrs. Russell’s job is to find the money to get it done. With the help from the Lycoming Housing Authority, Mrs. Russell has already had new carpet put down in the computer room and has turned an unused fitness room into a conference room.
The Center is funded in part, by the Lycoming County United Way. Every penny is scrutinized; expense reports double-checked and budgets are strictly enforced. Financial responsibility is the keystone of Mrs. Russell’s leadership. She must regain the trust of the community and sometimes that not easy. She has had to make some difficult decisions to move the Center’s staff forward.
Mrs. Russell’s task is not an enviable position. According to the LCUW’s website. “Over 82% of our participants live within walking distance of The Center; Over 88% are from low-moderate income family homes; 91% of the participants are minorities, and 36% of the young adults (ages 17-24) are unemployed. The neighborhood in which The Center is located has the highest crime rate in the city. Some individuals have no hope and are living one day at a time.”
Mrs. Russell and her staff can use some help. They need volunteers to monitor children and to help with the various programs offered. Mrs. Russell said, “Children act differently when there are more parents and adults around.” Adults need to set the example for the children, she said.
Mrs. Russell, who has no children of her own, cautions against others viewing her as a super mother figure that will come and save the day. She emphasized that restoring the Center to past levels of achievement is a team effort. She is forging new paths that P.D. Mitchell could only dream about.
What’s in a name?
The sign on the wall says it is the Bethune-Douglas Center, but it has also been called the Campbell Street Center.
The website also includes the title, “Campbell Street Family, Youth and Community Association, Inc (or CSFYA).
Whatever it is called, it has a rich history and is a valuable asset to the African-American community of Williamsport.
http://www.campbellstreetcenter.org/
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