Church breaks ground for center

Construction on the facility is set for mid-September.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
GREENFORD -- In a matter of months, a large chunk of a nondescript cornfield will be converted to a huge facility designed to expand a series of church programs set up to help the needy.
Big Reach Center of Hope, a project of Greenford Christian Church, moved a step closer to reality at Thursday's groundbreaking ceremony here.
About 100 people attended the hourlong outdoor event at the church, 11767 Lisbon Road. The program was set up to tout the facility, which will include a food pantry, library, warehouse, classrooms and a distribution center, all to help families in need who live within about a 40-mile radius.
The ceremony featured a series of speakers from various entities that will contribute materials, labor and other resources to the building. Construction of the 20,000- to 22,000-square-foot Big Reach Center is set for mid-September and will take 10 days, those close to the project say.
Since August 2004, the 1,800-member church has run Big Reach Ministries, a program that provides food, school supplies, Christmas gifts, clothing, eye exams and hearing tests to less-fortunate children and families in the region.
The ministry was recently chosen as a local project of "Extreme Makeover: My Hometown," an outgrowth of the popular ABC-TV series. Last fall, "Extreme Makeover" was in the Valley to build a home for a Boardman family.
About a month later, the church founded The Giving Tree, a program that distributes groceries, clothing, household items and toys to those in need. Families can receive help once a month, and the program serves more than 350 families monthly, church officials say.
Dave Trabert, general manager of WYTV Channel 33, one of Big Reach Center of Hope's sponsors, said the station "was bombarded with phone calls from viewers" after "Extreme Makeover" aired, who wanted to expand on the theme of reaching out to people in need. A group was formed for that purpose, and it came across Big Reach Ministries, he said.
"People felt good about helping others," after seeing the show, Trabert said. "Many of them said, 'What can we do to keep it going?'"
The project
Scott Lewis, Big Reach Ministries coordinator, said that when the program began nearly two years ago, about 200 children received school supplies, haircuts and other goods and services to prepare them for the upcoming school year.
A year later, nearly 400 youngsters got similar assistance; so far this year, close to 5,500 people, including many senior citizens, have benefited, he continued.
In addition to providing food, bookbags with school supplies and other needs, Big Reach Center of Hope will house offices and various events. Recipients also will be able to take literacy, laundry and budget management classes, Lewis noted.
The Rev. Jeff Hugus of Greenford Christian praised the volunteers who have given their time to the church's outreach programs. He also offered his perspective on the new facility.
"It's about giving hope to those with no hope in their hearts," the Rev. Mr. Hugus said. "Hearts are going to be touched; lives will be touched forever."
During the ceremony, state Rep. John Boccieri of New Middletown, D-61st, donated a state flag that will be placed on a flagpole at the facility.
Donations for the project can be made at any Farmers National Bank branch.