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Thursday, March 21, 2002
Center brings neighbors together
LIONA TANNESEN THE OLYMPIAN
LACEY -- Four-year-old Jahnich Saunders leaned against Carmen Reeves' knee as he showed her his stapled booklet of dinosaur drawings.
"What does dinosaur mean?" Reeves asked Jahnich, who was more intent on showing the pictures than answering her question. "Terrible lizard," she told him.
Jahnich was at an after-school program at the Surrey Lane Apartments' community center on Wednesday.
His mother, Karin Saunders, was nearby.
"I really think that the center really helps to bring people together," Saunders said. "It brings the kids together. It brings the adults together."
Reeves runs the community center programs from an apartment in the middle of the apartment complex.
She is an employee of TOGETHER! -- an agency focused on drug, alcohol, tobacco and violence prevention.
TOGETHER! has three other centers in apartment complexes in Lacey and Olympia.
"It is a neighborhood," said Earlyse Swift, the agency's executive director. "It's just a different one than we think of."
The Housing Authority of Thurston County, which owns the apartments, set aside the apartment for the program.
The Housing Authority mixes families that were homeless in among other families, said Chris Lowell, the executive director of the Housing Authority.
"The children have an opportunity to be encouraged through the community center to stay in school and become involved in positive activities," Lowell said.
The apartment complex has a high number of families, probably because of the center, said James Gutierrez, a housing program specialist for the Housing Authority.
The center served 24 children and nine parents last month, Reeves said.
About 10 children were drawing dinosaurs on Wednesday. The drawing was a follow-up on a lesson about dinosaurs.
"We learned about meat eaters and leaf eaters," said 10-year-old Mandy Alan. "We learned names of dinosaurs and how to tell the difference."
The pens and paper disappeared quickly at the word "snack" and were replaced by rice crispy treats and juice boxes.
Reeves mostly plans activities for the children in the apartment complex, but she also helps the parents.
Family dinner nights and a community garden bring together some of the parents, and a group of parents with toddlers meets regularly.
Reeves also recommends community resources if a child or family has a concern, Saunders said.
Saunders said she is comfortable leaving Jahnich at the center when she goes to work on her South Puget Sound Community College homework.
Saunders said the center helps to bring people together and she knows more people here than at most apartment complexes.
"We trust each other, which I think is rare," Saunders said.
Liona Tannesen covers Lacey for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5427 or ltannese@olympia.gannett.com.
Does your neighborhood have a story for Our Neighborhoods? If you have a special event, are tackling a tough issue or are planning a project, let us know. Call or e-mail Communities Editor Jerre Redecker at 360-754-5422 or jredecke@olympia.gannett.com. Our Neighborhoods runs Thursdays in Communities. Next week: West Bay Drive Neighborhood Association in Olympia. Hampton Ridge in Lacey will be profiled in April.
- Who: The Surrey Lane Apartments complex has 96 apartments, and all are full. The complex has a high number of families. About 50 children live there.
- Where: 2810 Ruddell Road, Lacey.
- Nearest school: Lacey Elementary School.
- Nearest police department: Lacey Police Department at 420 College St. S.E.
- Nearest fire department: Lacey Fire District 3 headquarters at 5608 Pacific Ave. S.E.
- Highlights: A community center, playground and community garden.
For more local news go to the Communities section.
The Olympian Copyright 2002 back to main Home Page Stories index
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