By Jessica Moore

Staff Writer

Lewisburg has recently welcomed its newest asset to the community, The Connelly Dream Center located on 5th Avenue North, in the old Connelly School building.

The Dream Center is a project started by the local church, First Assembly of God, located on West Ellington Parkway.

The Dream Center in Phoenix, Ariz. helped inspire those here to bring that same spirit and helpfulness to our community.

"Find a hurt and heal it, Find a need and feel it," is the mission of the Phoenix Dream Center, quoted on the Connelly Dream Center's Facebook page.

Victor Raymond is the director of the Dream Center. You will almost always see him there mingling with the kids. He stays very involved with them. Raymond trained in Phoenix, before helping to open the Dream Center here in Lewisburg.

The Connelly Dream Center is a fun and safe place for the youth of the community to come and enjoy athletics, camaraderie, and fun events throughout the year. During the school year they feature after-school programs such as tutoring, arts and crafts, basketball, kickball, and other sport activities.

During the school year Thursday night is basketball night, where they have had many as 70 kids come just to play ball.

The Dream Center is completely free, operating solely on donations and volunteer workers.

So far during the summer they have anywhere from 12 to 20 children a day dropping in to hang out.

They are open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Thursday, and Friday. and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The Dream Center offers more than just a youth program. Part of their plan is community outreach as a whole.

Saturday nights the center has what they call Church on the Street beginning at 5 p.m. This usually lasts between two and three hours.

Church on the Street features fellowship, food, and music. Since opening last September, they serve up to 85 people on Saturday nights. Those attending have said how much they enjoy Church on the Street as an alternative to a traditional church setting.

On Sunday nights from 5 to 8 p.m. the Dream Center has a devotional, snacks, and an activity for children from kindergarteners through seniors in high school and even college level young adults.

The Dream Center has partnered with the Salvation Army. They give out food boxes to those in need, and have the Angel Tree Program during Christmas.

At this time, the Dream Center only occupies part of the Connelly building including the gym, library, lobby, cafeteria, several classrooms, and the football field.

Some of the activities they plan to offer during the summer include movie nights, water balloon fights, and Vacation Bible School.

The library is a work in progress. Sometimes it is used as a game room, other times it is used as an additional worship area. What it will end up being permanently is undecided at this time.

Right now all of the snacks and meals that are available at the Connelly Dream Center are made off site and brought in as needed. Their next goal is to have the kitchen fully functioning.

"My favorite thing about the Dream Center is getting the opportunity to talk to the kids, minister to them, and just hang out with them. I learn from them and that is what's so cool about this," said Raymond.

The different improvements that have been made are evident.

"It gives us an opportunity to express ourselves, it gives us freedom to do the right thing. They teach us things and put us on the right path. The guidance helps us to do the right thing when we're older. I have learned a lot here and now I get to help people," said Bryan Westmoreland, 15.

Talking with Westmoreland showed me just how much the Dream Center has impacted his life in such a short time. Throughout my visit, he actively joined the conversation telling me about his experiences at the center; how much time he spends there, and what he's learned from everyone.