Ricketts Center Gets Lots of Love at Open House

Photos by Evan Brandt

ABOVE: Denise L. Williams, left, executive director of Keys 4 Success, and Tiffany Smith, career counselor for the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, were on hand Thursday to see the upgrades and new programs at the Ricketts Community Center. 

AT RIGHT: Joceyln Charles, the new director of the Ricketts Community Center, gives a tour during Thursday's open house.

Jocelyn Charles, the new director of the Ricketts Community Center, was busy Thursday, shaking hands and giving tours.

The occasion was the open house at the center, organized by the Pottstown Ministerium, aimed to showing off the renovations undertaken by Boyertown Multi-Service, which took over operations of the center last month.

Those on the tour saw fresh paint, a new dance floor,  a new homework room, and updated refurbished restrooms, etc.

Lydia Messinger, Boyertown Multi-Service executive director

gives a tour to Audra Ross and Bronwyn DeMaso Thursday.

And despite the fact that Charles worked for the previous operator, Olivet Boys and Girls Club, or perhaps because of that fact, Charles said she views the open house as "a fresh start."

"I am pleased to see so many people from the community out today," said Charles. "I expected to see the agencies and the services."

And those included representatives from Creative Health, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, Family Services, Mosaic community Land Trust and Cultrual Centro Latinos Unidos, to name a few.

Overall, 130 people put their names on the sign-in sheet, said the Rev. Vernon Ross, pastor of Bethel
Community Church of Pottstown, who helped organize the open house with the help of the Pottstown Ministerium.

Pottstown Police officers Zach Robinson, left, and
Ryan Guth stopped by the open house Thursday.

"But seeing the people from the community is a great indicator of how interested they are in what we're doing here," Charles said.

There was certainly lots of interest, including from the police department.

"If we have a lot of people using the center, it gives people, and kids especially, a place to go and if they're here, they're less likely to be out getting into trouble," said officer Ryan Guth.

Interest is also high in the fitness programs run by Paul Winterbottom.

Fitness instructor Paul Winterbottom with some of the

work out equipment at the Ricketts Center.

He said his "community boot camp" program, "which is open to all ages, 8 to 80, attracts 30 people to the sessions held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 8 p.m.

Sydni Gajewski, the center's program coordinator was handing out a full schedule of programs at the center in February.

"I can't wait to see how many people will come out, both to volunteer and participate. We really have a lot of potential here," said Gajewski.

Councilman Joe Kirkland, who represents the Seventh Ward, where the center is located, expressed doubt about giving the contract to Boyertown Multi Service and voted against it, saying he preferred a local Pottstown option.

The selection became necessary after the abrupt ending in August of the Olivet Boys and Girls Club's when the Berks-based club suddenly rejected a new four-year lease it has just secured from council.

Pottstown Borough Councilman Joe Kirkland chats with

Pottstown Police officer Ryan Guth at the open house.

uneven history of running the center,

Boyertown Multi-Service was selected by borough council in October out of five possible operators.

Four of those applicants, including the borough's own parks and recreation department, are in Pottstown and many, including Kirkland and Councilwoman Trenita Lindsay, had advocated to have a Pottstown-based agency put in charge.

Both Lindsay and Kirkland voted against awarding the new least to Boyertown Building Service.

But both were on hand Thursday to see how things are going and Kirkland said he was impressed with the agency's performance so far.

"They've only been here two months and hand's down, it's already ten times better than Olivet," Kirkland said.

"I've been coming by every week and it's amazing they progress they've made since January," said Ross.

Parks and Recreation Director Mike Lenhadt and Borough
Manager Justin Keller were both on hand for the open house.

Michael Lenhart, director of the borough's parks and recreation department, also seemed pleased.

"I'm honestly pleased to see the time and attention Multi-Service has been putting into the building and operation," he said.

"They seem to b e building as program to meet the needs of the community, rather than just bring their own existing programs in. That's what they said they would do and that's what they're doing," Lenhart said.

"It's exciting," Matthew Hovey said of the crowd's size. Hovey is the president of the board of directors of Boyertown Multi-Service and was on hand for the open house.

"It really shows the importance of the Ricketts Center to this community and there are a lot of organizations here and I hope a lot of them turn into supporters and volunteers to serve this community," said Hovey.