CURWENSVILLE – The Curwensville Community Center has started a fundraising campaign to help raise money needed to complete various building repairs and updates. Upgrades of attic insulation costing $5000 and exterior doors for $10,000 have already been completed with the help of donations from the public, but $200,000 is still needed for further repairs.
The community center is in need of new flooring and baseboards, interior doors and window replacement, kitchen renovation with new appliances, paint and other miscellaneous repairs, and a new heating/air conditioning system. Because of increased heating and electricity costs, the board would also like to install a geothermal heating system that would provide air conditioning in the summer while reducing air pollutants and costs. Although the board receives a stipend from the United Way, it is not enough to cover the cost of maintenance, heating, and repair of the buildings. The board has applied for several grants unsuccessfully and is hoping to gain necessary funds through public donations.
The building has been a center for many community activities for over 40 years, including meetings, banquets, non-profit auctions, wedding receptions, bloodmobiles, and little league baseball signups. Gerald “Joe” Wills, who was president of the Curwensville Civic Center 40 years ago, and has returned as president of the Curwensville Community Center, notes the importance of updating the center in hopes of returning the center to the citizens of the community. He feels that many parts are in extreme need of updates and says “the condition of the floor right now is a safety hazard”. According to Wills, reducing costs to maintain the building and keeping the building safe are very important steps in allowing people to have continued use of the building.
Those interested in donating or learning more about the fundraising efforts can get more information by joining the Facebook page Curwensville Community Center, visiting the Web page curwensvillecommunitycenter.com, or by calling Joe Wills at 814-236-4612.