Saturday, February 11, 2012

The Centre continues to provide beneifts to community

If you didn’t happen to have a chance to visit the Smithsonian Institution “The Way We Worked” exhibit held at The Centre through December of 2011, you missed a truly great opportunity. It showcased not only the crucial role work has played in the history of our nation, but also the rich history of Rolla, Phelps County and the Meramec region.
But the main reason I wanted to mention the success of the Smithsonian Exhibit, is to emphasize how fortunate our community is to have such a great facility like The Centre to be able to host and showcase these kind of international exhibits in our own back yard. During the month of December 2011 alone, there were 13,277 visitors who came through the doors at The Centre, many of whom most likely stopped by to the see The Way We Worked exhibit, and the local history exhibit that was located in the lobby of The Centre, and was a big hit with the community. What’s even more noteworthy is in April 2012 The Centre will surpass the two million visitor mark. And this milestone will be achieved prior to the facility’s 10th year anniversary.

Many other special events, activities and community celebrations are held at The Centre such as the Daddy/Daughter Valentine Dance that was held just last night. Many dads and their daughters signed up for the event and I’m sure it provided the kind of memories that only an event like that could. The unique event was organized and coordinated by Karen Richards, Recreation Manager at The Centre, who is well known throughout the community for her passion for health and fitness. Karen was recently invited to be a guest speaker at Wyman Elementary School’s ‘Be Healthy’ kick-off for the month of February and spoke to the students about eating healthy, the importance of good nutrition, and getting lots of exercise.

Another event that will be held at The Centre and benefit the community and our park system, is a dodgeball tournament hosted by the Rolla Junior Club. The tournament, which is open to the public, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25 beginning at 11 a.m. at The Centre (1200 N. Holloway St.). It will consist of 8-person, co-ed teams with a maximum of four males per team. There will be a 3-game minimum guaranteed and the entry fee is $120 per team. To register, please stop by The Centre (1200 N. Holloway St.), or call 573-341-2386. The deadline for registration is Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 12-noon. All tournament proceeds will go towards improvements at Larry May Park which is a current project of the RJC. Larry May Park is a small park located within the Ber Juan Softball Complex across from Forum Cinemas on 18th Street. The RJC has spent time cleaning up the park and had a rededication this past spring. The Rolla Junior Club’s goal is to raise enough funds for all new playground structures.

Yet another community event that is made possible by the staff and facilities at The Centre is the annual Grand Family Conference. If you or someone you know would like to find out more about the resources in Phelps County that are available for grandparents raising their grandchildren, plan to attend the Grand Family Conference on Saturday, March 10 from 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Centre. To register or for more information, please call (573-341-2FUN) or stop by The Centre. Thanks to the event sponsors, this event is a FREE event for all! Free continental breakfast, free lunch, goody bags with great information to take home, free activities for the kids, and great door prizes! Major event sponsors include: The Centre; AARP; and University of Missouri Extension!

Enjoy the weekend and have a safe week!

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