Bethel Community Center reaches out to Rotary

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Rotary Club of Zanesville that meets on Tuesdays at noon invited Bethel Community Center’s, Executive Director, Melissa Lichtner to speak about the program and how to get started in volunteering.

The Bethel Community Center holds after school programs for children in kindergarten through seniors in high school. Monday through Thursday Bethel will host multiple programs such as reading, mentoring by Muskingum University, and Express Yourself at Bethel. Lichtner said a great program starting back up in the spring is the community garden. This year Bethel sent in a grant to add fencing and allow the kids to attend the farmers market to sell their produce.

Photo By: Quay DeVoll

“We’re really excited to see what happens this year with it,” said Lichtner. “We work on it through the summer, after the summer lunch program. The kids get to come over and work in the garden pick [and] take stuff home. One thing we really want to start doing is teaching them how to  cook things from the garden. So it’s a really awesome program.”

Lichtner said through the years they’ve connected with these students and have helped them to be well-rounded.

“So the program’s K through 12, so some of the kids we’ve had since they’ve been in first grade and we kind of help them grow,  see what they want to do in the future [and] talk about the future with them,” Lichtner said. “Which maybe they don’t get from anyone else, from home or school.”

To know more about the programs and volunteer opportunities contact Melissa Lichtner by calling (740) 252-1015 or visit zanesvillebethel.org.