“Be True To You” girls group coloring. From bottom left going clockwise: Mary Scott, Ciara Lewis, Trinity Brevil, Ahmani Green, Shyla Samuels, Naveh Lovett, Shania McDonald, Faith Dennis, Dejanae Williams, Isabella Vieira, Rayauna McDonald.
BY JENNA SHAW
NNB Student Reporter
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Sanderlin Center has been providing Midtown residents and other Pinellas County Fla. residents with free recreation activities for more than 20 years now.
The Sanderlin Center provides people of all ages with a wide range of activities. Some of which include “Be True to You,” “Real Men,” a children’s program, community workshops, tax assistance, computer classes, dress for success, cooking classes, summer camp, karate, and dance.
Lounell Britt, Executive Director at the Sanderlin Center, says the center “gives kids a home away from home.”
“Be True to You” is a program available for young ladies from the ages of 9-14 in a single parent home, foster, or kinship; experiencing academic and/or behavioral challenges; and who are not currently in a gender specific program. It is devised to inspire and lead girls down the right path to success. They build character and strengthen the lives of the young ladies.
“Real Men” is the boy’s version of the girls group and always accepting new members. “The boys spend time outside and then do math and reading,” explains Britt.
The facilities available for children have been provided by both the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas and the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. There is a Kool Kids room for the youngest children in the program with toys and shelves made and provided by Greg Jennings. The jungle gym was built in one day by the entire Rays team and their families in 2010.
There are multiple study rooms with computers the children can access for homework, a basketball court, and even tutors to aid the children in successfully making it through the school year. A library provides a quiet place to read according to reading level. All the books are separated by bins with different colored stickers on them so children are not aware of difficulty levels, only what color sticker matches theirs.
All of these things are free of cost with no income qualifications as long as the kids have a way there. Children 6 and up do not have to be in a specific program to use the facilities.
Every year the Center provides a program called VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) where they prepare and file income tax forms for the community residents. In 2012 they brought more money back to the community than any other center in the area totaling $1.3 million.
November 2 will be the next community workshop. It is called “Celebrate You” and is a women only event featuring speakers who uplift and empower the female community in St. Petersburg. Ronnell Montgomery, the Sanderlin Center’s outreach specialist, says it is an event for whatever your hopes and dreams are.
Clothing will be demonstrated and discussed on how to dress like a fabulous diva on a budget, Montgomery said. Clothing which is professional and appropriate per situation will be presented. One of the guest speakers will be Danielle Finley, owner of Florida Print Solutions of St. Petersburg, Fla.. Finley will discuss how she came about making the purchase and acquiring the position.
Free computer classes are offered to adults of any age.
“Dress For Success” provides a closet of fashionable business wear for people to shop from. The clothing is appropriate and available for anyone to browse through.
The center has a full sized kitchen and dining room complete with everything you could possibly need for practicing the culinary arts. They provide free cooking classes and even allow the area to be rented out for private events such as baby showers, receptions, birthdays and more.
The Sanderlin Center is always coming up with new ways to provide the Midtown residents with recreational activities free of charge.