The Greater Jefferson Community Center was born in the heart of Karen Wells in the 1980s. Nothing was done about the dream until 2000 when she wrote the dream down in a Vision Statement. Once again she filed it away for another two years.
In 2002 she took the first step to bring the dream into being. She picked 19 friends, movers & shakers, and others to begin coming together to start talking about building a Community Center in Jefferson, Oregon. The group met every month for two years, putting together their Mission Statement, Vision, and Goals. They visited other centers and started touring the available buildings in Jefferson, a small, older city with limited infrastructure. It was fast becoming a bedroom town for Salem, the State capitol, and Albany.
In April, 2004, a local church building that was no longer being used as a church was offered to them rent free for use as a community center until the building sold. They moved in with only 16 tables and 128 chairs and set up shop. To make a long story short, they quickly became a vibrant and active Community Center. The community of Jefferson and the surrounding areas were supportive and generous, contributing the finances, furniture and time to meet any needs that arose. At this time the group came under the umbrella of Jefferson Together!, a local progress team, and a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity.
In August of 2005, after sixteen months of having an active community center, the building was sold and the community center had to move out. Most supplies went into storage on the Wells' farm and members began raising money in earnest for the purchase and/or building of their own community center building.
A local businessman who had a furniture store, Don Shindler, came to the group in November, 2005, and offered to sell them his 58'x120' property in downtown Jefferson, close to the bank, post office, and grocery stores. It was also at this time that the group, now officially the Greater Jefferson Community Center (GJCC), moved out from under the umbrella of the Jefferson Together! and became their own non-profit 501(c)(3) entity.
The GJCC purchased the property in November 2005, moved into the old building the last week of December 2005. The building, in much need of repair, was condemned in March 2006 and, after seven months of hard work by committed local volunteers, the GJCC once again opened to the community on September 23, 2006.
In November 2008 we applied for and received a permit to push out more walls and add a much needed kitchen and smaller meeting room. In 2009 we received $43,000.00 in grants to help us install a new furnace, a heat pump, awnings for the outside of our building, window shades and a new roof. Those grants came from Ford Family Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, and the Marion County Economic Development Advisory Board. In February 2010, we received a $35,024.00 grant for new flooring, this one coming from Spirit Mountain Community Fund. Since then our facility useage has almost doubled. In 2009 we had over 8,000 visitors sign in. In 2010, we had over 15,000 visitors sign in.
We have become a landmark in the community structure and a safe and comfortable place where peoples of all ages can come. Each day is full of activities for everyone. We truly have become the community gathering place.
The Community Gathering Place
A 501(c)(3) public non-profit entity
