Living

     In the spring of 2018, the fulfillment of a dream began to take shape.  This dream was formed around the idea of a library & community center - one full of imaginative games, a slower pace, friendly faces, and space for creative play.  It was an idea that was borrowed from years of listening to a radio drama called "Adventures in Odyssey."   Our dream was to create a place, like Odyssey's own Wit's End, where kids could gather with friends around stories, games, art, and music.

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     Since Jason and I have settled in and made Helen our home, it seemed the most likely place to open our community center.  Though once a booming town with life and commerce, Helen has become an insulated little community lacking the resources of larger cities.     

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     Over the past few years, Helen has benefitted from the work of a non-profit community group known as WeGROw.  They have built a playground and park in the center of town. They have created a beautiful Miners' Memorial that draws in the relatives of former Helen residents and the coal miners who worked here.  Inspired by the endeavors of WeGROw, my husband and I were met with the opportunity to buy the house next door on our dead-end street.  When it became available, we both were excited about the prospect of making it into our community center.  Our goals for the center include a private library (not state-funded), a place for music lessons and art classes, a room for games and trains and hands-on fun, and more.

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   This is the best way we know to love our neighbors.