Submitted by Jesse Black.
The Tillicum Woodbrook Community Center (formerly Tillicum American Lake Gardens Community Center) has been a part of the Lakewood community for over 50 years. The center provides crucial services including food bank, clothing bank, a SeaMar clinic, and the Tillicum branch of the Pierce County Library. In the past, we have been a warming and cooling site during extreme weather, host to AA meetings, senior meal programs, a Girl Scout troop, and provide programing and events for the community at large. We also have a community garden proudly serving our local families with grazing beds for those passing by. We provide these services and more to a community that is frequently overlooked.
In the past few years, the center has experienced a lot of change that has reduced the amount of funding we have been receiving. The shutdown during COVID also reduced the amount of programs that boosted our center such as our annual community market bazaar. Because of this, the center finds itself in a bind.
The HVAC system on the building needs significant work, possibly replaced fully. With summer temperatures coming in, the staff in the Seamar clinic and library are not able to properly function. A few staff had to go home due to recent temperatures affecting their health. At this time, the center is in urgent need of emergency funds to complete this work. We are asking our community and surrounding areas to help us keep our doors open by providing assistance to make the necessary repairs. Any size contribution is greatly appreciated. https://gofund.me/7cbf0e1c
If you plan on some fund raising events my band, Roadside Attraction, would volunteer to provide musical entertainment. Let me know.
I am actively involved in getting the Parkland Community Center ready to open. I understand how import these places are. Support of the community is crucial.
One of our most fun and effective fundraiser has been restaurant takeovers in the community. Not that we get a great deal of money, but it gets us together having some fun and learning how other businesses in our community are faring.
Tillicum has several restaurants. See if you can get enough community together to raise them up on one of their slow nights. You will build support for the community center group at the same time.
I will reprint his in the PiercePrairePost.com
Good luck!