Area churches unite to build community development center

Three area churches (Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Hoover; Sixth Avenue Baptist Church and Living Stones Temple in Birmingham) recently joined together in an ecumenical outreach project to build a Community Development Center in the impoverished town of Vredenburgh, a former lumber mill town.

After several months of soliciting donations and hundreds of hours of volunteer time, the building is finally complete.

Vickie Bell, Director of Outreach for Living Stones Temple; Father John Fallon, pastor of Prince of Peace Catholic Parish; and Reverend John Cantelow III, pastor of Sixth Avenue Baptist Church were on hand for the ceremony.

Sister Kathy Navarra, from the Sisters of Saint Joseph, who is the Director of Edmundite Outreach and lives and works in Vredenburgh, provided opening remarks. She has worked with local leaders to determine the primary use of this new building.

The building was constructed with steel-reinforced walls and will serve as a community storm shelter. The new center will be used for job training, health care seminars and screening, and various community educational programs, including a computer lab with Internet access for all residents.

Donations are needed to purchase computers and other educational materials and to cover future operating expenses. Tax-deductible gifts can be sent to Build A Better Community, a 501(c)(3) organization, P.O. Box 266, Vredenburgh, Ala. 36481.