By Estaban Fernandez
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT — Tuesday afternoon, rain puddled outside the Center of Hope on Cleveland Avenue, an eerie callback to the floods which battered Fairmont five months ago.
However this time, the building’s new roof withstood the elements. Rev. Mark Staples, executive director for the Center of Hope, couldn’t help but notice the parallels as State Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, presented a $20,000 Economic Development check for the building’s new roof and renovation.
“As you can see, we couldn’t have picked a better day to get it,” Staples said. “We’re in a serious rainstorm out there, so we’re grateful because we really needed the roof. It was probably over close to 35 years old. That harsh winter, that harsh rainstorm we got in June, it didn’t cause anything to go through but it really damaged us a bit as well. So, [the check] couldn’t have come at a better time for us. We needed the roof really badly.”
The money from the economic development grant helped reimburse Center of Hope for the work on the roof that’s already done, as well as cover work repairing the gutters and other finishing touches.
Thanks to the efforts of Sens. Garcia and Mike Oliverio, R-Monongalia, as well as former state Sen. Mike Caputo, D-Marion, the West Virginia State Legislature authorized the grant for the building’s roof. However, securing the money was a challenge. Garcia indicated at one point there were concerns the money wouldn’t come through. The issue was the community center’s former status as a church. The issue was separation of church and state. State and federal laws prohibit public money from being used for religious purposes. While the process took longer than he had hoped, Garcia said finance committee staff had to perform their due diligence.
To satisfy legal requirements, Staples created a 501c3 nonprofit to allow private donations, which would also include state funds. The roof became the primary focus, since without it, renovating the rest of the building would be in vain. Ultimately, Staples, Garcia, Oliverio and Caputo proved the legality and worth of the project and the money was approved.
“This is the type of area where government should be helping and chipping in,” Garcia said. “When you have community members themselves that are doing the work, that are coming in on days of action, that are renovating. For people who are helping themselves.”
While there’s still more work to be done, Staples said once the Center is finished, it’ll provide a place to serve youth, college students and the elderly, as well as help treat addiction problems. Staples said the Center will partner with other community action groups and social networks. Because of its central location close to downtown, it’ll be a hub for people who can’t reach social support agencies in White Hall or Morgantown.
While Staples isn’t sure when the building will open its doors, the Center itself is already providing services through other locations.
While the old church holds religious and historic significance for Fairmont’s Black community, Staples wants the new Center of Hope to be centerpiece for all of Fairmont’s community. It’s something the community sorely needs, he said.
“We wanted to be very clear that the Center of Hope Community Center is not a church, we want to be clear in that,” he said. “We just want to be open to all because we want to be a place of hope for all. Whether you have an addiction, whether you’re a single parent or need marital counseling. This is a place where, if you don’t have a church, you can come get married here.”
Staples said the Center of Hope also acquired historic status on both national and state registers of historic places. The building was built in 1928. The building has been a constant presence in the life of Rudy Jefferson, a longtime Fairmont resident. The church held Masonic services twice a year. He described the church as one of Fairmont’s foundational churches and is happy to see the building find a new lease on life while preserving a piece of the town’s history.
“It’s wonderful,” Jefferson said. “It gives them a place to go and it teaches them. History is a thing you never forget.”
Reach Esteban at [email protected]
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