Avalon Library opens new community center

&emsp;&emsp;On July 25, Avalon Public Library will take a giant step in community outreach for area residents of all ages by opening the Fischer Minteer Community Center on the lower level of the library building on South Home Avenue in Avalon.&emsp;&emsp;The center is designed to address two specific community needs that once were filled by the YMCA, which closed its doors during the pandemic. During the day, the community center will be a gathering place for senior citizens. Once school starts up again, the center also will provide after-school programming for children.&emsp;&emsp;Library director Heather Weleski said that she came to her position with the library in 2019 with the hope that a community center could become part of the facility. &emsp;&emsp;One of the biggest hurdles was space. Much of the lower level had been leased to private companies as office space, with additional areas devoted to lirary material storage and a conference room that was used by both the library and tenants.&emsp;&emsp;To justify turning revenue-producing footage into a community center, Weleski, the library's executive board and its support organization, The Friends of Avalon Public Library, needed to provide Avalon Council with a solid plan.&emsp;&emsp;They did just that.&emsp;&emsp;In 2019, Avalon and Bellevue participated in a community responsiveness profile through the Allegheny County Library Association. This profile included population data, stakeholder interviews, and a survey regarding how local residents want or expect the libraries to help them. &emsp;&emsp;From that study, the libraries heard from parents who needed help, especially during the home-school pandemic, with their children's academic needs,. The report noted that "many struggle to balance parenting while working multiple jobs, others who did not do well in school themselves feel unable to provide homework help.". &emsp;&emsp;Other areas of need identified in the community profile were additional programming and supports for youth, after-school and summer programming that support ongoing learning, mentorship opportunities across generations to provide positive role models, services for mental health and/or physical health, and building a sense of community engagement. &emsp;&emsp;Among the ideas generated by the report were:&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;Programs to support single parents; &emsp;&emsp;Tutoring and mentoring programs for students;&emsp;&emsp;Makerspace ;&emsp;&emsp;Mentoring programs that pair seniors with young people so they can learn from each other;&emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;Meet-and-greets with different themes so people can socialize ;&emsp;&emsp;Serve as a rec center space;&emsp;&emsp;Partner with Literacy Pittsburgh to offer ESL and general literacy classes and tutoring; &emsp;&emsp;Having a social worker at the library;&emsp;&emsp;Provide more programming or opportunities to interact more with preteens ;&emsp;&emsp;Offer after-school or evening programs for those who might otherwise be home alone; &emsp;&emsp;Partner with teachers to ensure the library has resources their students may need and for them to encourage students to attend programs. &emsp;&emsp;The community center will start off reaching out to senior citizens, school-age children and teenagers.&emsp;&emsp;The senior recreational area will be supervised by Weleski. She will organize games, classes, and multi-generational programs. On the following days and times, the space will serve as a senior recreational area: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.- 3p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, noon - 3 p.m. Saturday programs will be added as staffing allows.&emsp;&emsp;The Children and Teen Zone will be supervised by Jolena Monteleone Hein, programming coordinator. She holds a bachelor of professional studies degree in child and family services from Geneva College. She will organize after-school programs including homework assistance, STEAM activities, and a social space for teens to gather. On the following days and times, the space will serve as a children and teen zone Monday and Wedesday 3:15-5:45 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 3:15-7:45 p.m.&emsp;&emsp;All of this is being made possible by the generosity of two women, whose names are memorialized in the center's name: Rae Fischer and Betty Minteer.&emsp;&emsp;Rachel "Rae" Fischer (1929-2012) was a longtime volunteer at the Avalon Public Library. She served as the chairperson of the library, as a member of the Friends of the Avalon Public Library, and as a voracious reader. She worked at the Penn Central Railroad, Coal Division. She was also a longtime member of the Greenstone United Methodist Church. When Rae passed away in 2012, the front solarium was dedicated as the Rae B. Fischer Memorial Reading Room in memory of the work she did for the library. The Friends of the Avalon Public Library also set up an endowment fund based on donations made to the library in her memory. The Friends of the Avalon Public Library made the determination that Rae would have loved this project and will be donating the monies towards it. &emsp;&emsp;Betty Minteer (1927-2015) was a former Avalon resident who made a monetary donation to the Avalon Public Library in her estate; amongst other area bodies, including the Northgate School District. She attended the Robert Morris Secretarial School and served as an executive secretary to the chief medical officer of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital and the United States Steel Corporation. She was a 52-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, North Hills Chapter No. 526. She was also a supporter of the Passavant Hospital Foundation.