By Darlene Greene
Special correspondent
Innsbrook Today Magazine
www.innsbrooktoday.com
Innsbrook Rotary Celebrates 20 Years; celebrates with a
ground-breaking at Coal Pit Learning Center
The Rotary Club of Innsbrook celebrated its 20th Anniversary last month by kicking off the public phase of its “Making Dreams Real” capital campaign in support of Coal Pit Leaning Center, a non-profit pre-school at 5101 Francistown Road about a mile from Innsbrook. When complete, the Coal Pit Learning Center will be completely renovated and will have a new multi-use classroom.
The Center today operates in the original 1905 facility serving approximately 30 school age children 2-3 days a week at no charge, with limited after school care. The proposed renovations will involve construction of a 1,740 square foot expansion housing a play/learning room, a stage, modern kitchen and bathrooms and office space for the director of education, as well as other facility upgrades. Upon completion of the Project, the Center expects to be able to accommodate 50 pre-schoolers for a full 5 day week at no charge and up to 30 children in an after school program at $10 per day.
To date, the Rotary Club of Innsbrook has raised $80,000 of the $120,000 cash goal through its annual Auction for Youth, Rotary District 7600 grants, and support of local individuals, churches, and businesses. The current funding enabled the project to begin with a ground breaking ceremony on June 12. The ceremony was held at The Coal Pit Learning Center and was heartily attended by students and families of Coal Pit, members of the Rotary Club of Innsbrook and their families, residents of the surrounding communities and members of the media.
In keeping with Rotary International’s theme this year, “Making Dreams Real,” this project is the largest in the Innsbrook Club's history in terms of “money raised and involvement by our members,” said Innsbrook Rotary President Lisa Hollier. "We didn’t have to travel far...right in our own backyard, we have the opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of young children and their families.”
The Coal Pit Learning Center takes its name from the historic Coal Pit School, the century-old, two-room schoolhouse in which the center operates. The school originally was built to serve the families of workers in Henrico County’s coal mines, and it has been an important symbol of educational opportunity since that time. In fact, the grandparents of some recent Coal Pit students still remember the days when students arrived at the school on horseback!”
Innsbrook Rotarian Steve Bacon, president of the Coal Pit Board of Directors, thanked the Innsbrook Rotary Club for “choosing our little school as the beneficiary of its 20th Anniversary Project and Celebration. The impact will be immediate and direct because this new facility will move us from a part-time pre-school schedule to a full-time basis. This not only gives us more educational opportunities with the children, but also allows the parents of our children to seek full-time work and career opportunities, which in turn further enhances the welfare of the entire family.
"To give you some understanding of the difference Coal Pit has made on some of our neighbors," Steve said, "let me share with you this quote from one of our Coal Pit parents, ‘I was at wit’s end and about to give up before I found Coal Pit and Ms.Dorothy. She, together with Ms. Sabrina, Ms. Melanie, and Ms. Edith, provided a safe and loving environment for my two children and even taught them good manners and other social skills. With her help, I was able to find a job and now both my children are making good grades in their elementary school. I know so many other kids in our neighborhood who are having a hard time in school, so I’m thankful that Coal Pit was there for us. It really changed our lives.’
That’s the whole point of Coal Pit, Steve said, to provide these children who have few, if any, other opportunities, the chance to develop fundamental social, emotional and academic skills that will lead to future school success and to do it in a supportive and loving environment.”
Coal Pit has had quite a few success stories during its long history as both a school for the children of local coal miners and as a free pre-school for Henrico County children.
One of those success stories was discovered in the midst of the festivities. An unexpected guest at the ceremony was Mrs. Lucille Sutton Haskins. “I started attending Coal Pit School back in 1943 when I was only five years old," Mrs. Haskins said. "I really wasn’t old enough to attend but the principal brought me to the school and I attended Coal Pit through the sixth grade. Since it was a small school, only two rooms, the lessons for the younger children were given and then the lessons for the older grades were given. But the younger children would continue to listen and learn while the lessons were being given to the older children and it allowed us to actually learn more. I believe that, because of Coal Pit, I was able to go to college and get my degree. I just feel so blessed to have had Coal Pit. I loved it here and it’s such a wonderful thing that’s happening [with this building project] to continue to make this school available to children here in Henrico.” After graduating from college, Mrs. Haskins taught elementary school in Henrico County for 35 years, grades 1, 2, and 4. She retired in 1988.
The current construction schedule will allow the new addition to be ready for students in January of 2010. For anyone interested in making a donation to this project or for more information on the school services, please visit the Coal Pit Learning Center website at www.CoalPitLearningCenter.com.
Lisa Hollier, president of The Rotary Club of Innsbrook, noted that this project will have a big impact: “This expansion will not only provide these children with a first class pre-school facility, which would not otherwise be available to them because of the cost, but will make it possible for many more families to avoid having to make a choice between work and quality care for their pre-school age children”.
The Rotary Club of Innsbrook is a Chapter of Rotary International, a worldwide organization of business leaders dedicated to humanitarian service, high ethical standards and goodwill. “Our members take great pride in the service we perform for our community and are thrilled when we can positively affect the lives of those who are less fortunate than ourselves. We’ve found that we ‘re truly able to have fun making a difference!” said current president Lisa Hollier.
Innsbrook Rotary continues to seek cash gifts and donations of materials and labor for the Project. Please contact Brydon DeWitt for further information at 804-364-0145 (brydon.dewitt@gmail.com) or visit www.innsbrookrotary.org and click on “20th Anniversary Project”.
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