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Booker T. Washington Center to Learn About New Sensory Room, Celebrate 45 Years of Serving Community

Staff Report From Georgia CEO

Friday, November 8th, 2024

Friday, November 8, is going to be a big day for the Booker T. Washington Community Center (401 Monroe Street) and Historic Pleasant Hill Neighborhood. They’ll be learning more about a new addition to the facility thanks to a local leadership organization and celebrate decades of providing a safe space and services to the community. 
 
At 10:00 a.m., this year’s Leadership Macon Class (reportedly the best class ever, but other classes would debate that) will present to the Macon Mental Health Matters Alliance the plan to create a new sensory room. Each year, the Leadership Macon class picks a project they work on throughout the year that will benefit the community.
 
“This class heard us and recognized the need in our community to have a safe space like this, and they responded in a most amazing way,” says Andrea Cooke, Macon Mental Health Matters Director. “This new sensory room will be available for both the agencies in the Center to use as needed and our community.”

A sensory room creates a safe space in a building where children can go to self-regulate and decompress using calming, therapeutic features. The Leadership Macon class is converting a room in the Center by painting the walls calming colors and adding special lighting, soft chairs, therapeutic toys, sound machines, and more. Members of the class will be available during the open house to describe the benefits of the room and how the public can help make it a success.

“The Booker T. Washington Center has become a place where our community comes together to support children and meet them where they are when it comes to their needs, and we wanted to provide the children and the personnel here with something special,” says Olivia Walter with the Leadership Macon Class. “We are creating a calming, safe space that will be of great benefit to all who come through these doors either for assistance or to provide support.”

Following the presentation, the Booker T. Washington Community Center will celebrate its 45th anniversary with a Partner Appreciation Open House from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The event is being hosted by Macon Mental Health Matters and Southern Center for Choice Theory and is sponsored by Francis and Wade and the Urban Development Authority. Light refreshments will be served. 

“This is a chance to celebrate a building that more than just four walls and a pool. We get to celebrate an empowering space that has served the needs of our community for 45 years,” says Cooke. “We want to look back and celebrate those who came before us, thank those who work here now for people, and make sure the entire community knows of the services we’re providing.

During the drop-in Open House, people will be able to learn about the many services provided, including mental health support, music and the arts, wealth development, housing services, diapers, books, and more. Organizations that will be there include the Pace Center for Girls, Eric Foundation, Wealth ASAP, OWL, CQul, Southern Center for Choice Theory, and Macon Mental Health Matters. 

“The services people need to lead healthy and successful lives should be easily accessible, and that’s what we’re trying to provide here at the Booker T Washington Center,” adds Cooke. “We work with so many great partners here that share that vision, and they deserve our praise and support.”