They started in 1989 with the name AD HOC Committee of Mt. Pleasant Township. This was followed by Save Our School Committee and then the Cultural and Historic Center of Washington County organization and finally the Mt. Pleasant Township Community Center. They were the same small group of people sharing a common goal of preserving the Hickory School and turning it into a community asset. Years have passed and the dream lives
on.
In January of 1990, John McCarty and Bud Allison were appointed operating engineers to help plan and coordinate the team of dedicated volunteers. The building had no heat or electricity, thus no flowing well water…yet. Little did the volunteers realize that there were thirty-three broken water lines awaiting them that would need immediate attention before anything else could begin. There were leaks in the roof and the list went on and on. Could this dream really have been a nightmare? For lesser people, possibly so, but for the founders, the alumni, and so many others, it became more of a challenge.
It would require a lot of money coming from many sources and it needed to be found “like now”. At first the money came from their own pockets and later through donations of money and service from others providing the capital needed for repair and renovation. At one point they needed money to pay a heating gas bill that was as large as the group’s treasury. Later Alumni money came for windows and many other projects. Additional funds were procured through state grants, private foundations, banks, local government assistance, private contributions and other individuals who donated material or labor for the repair and preservation projects.
We now take for granted many of the improvements and preservation projects that have taken place over the years. The building is looking better
all the time. Each day, many people pass through the Community Center doors to participate in one of a variety of programs without realizing the efforts of a few have made it possible for so many.
on.
In January of 1990, John McCarty and Bud Allison were appointed operating engineers to help plan and coordinate the team of dedicated volunteers. The building had no heat or electricity, thus no flowing well water…yet. Little did the volunteers realize that there were thirty-three broken water lines awaiting them that would need immediate attention before anything else could begin. There were leaks in the roof and the list went on and on. Could this dream really have been a nightmare? For lesser people, possibly so, but for the founders, the alumni, and so many others, it became more of a challenge.
It would require a lot of money coming from many sources and it needed to be found “like now”. At first the money came from their own pockets and later through donations of money and service from others providing the capital needed for repair and renovation. At one point they needed money to pay a heating gas bill that was as large as the group’s treasury. Later Alumni money came for windows and many other projects. Additional funds were procured through state grants, private foundations, banks, local government assistance, private contributions and other individuals who donated material or labor for the repair and preservation projects.
We now take for granted many of the improvements and preservation projects that have taken place over the years. The building is looking better
all the time. Each day, many people pass through the Community Center doors to participate in one of a variety of programs without realizing the efforts of a few have made it possible for so many.