Firepit and gathering area for Christian Women's Center

The Problem

Women are often subjected to trauma resulting from social and physical afflictions such as drug an alcohol addiction, childhood trauma, or spousal abuse. Many times they lack the support network or financial capacity to escape these conditions. The mission of the CWC is to provide a 12 month residential safe haven where these women can restore their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual selves. The program provides one on one counseling, career readiness classes, health screenings, parenting instruction, life skills, volunteer opportunities, wellness education and exercise, as well as, leveraging partnerships with community services beneficial to its resident participants. Other than a $20 fee to fund a criminal background check, residents are not charged for the services they receive. They live in a dormitory style setting for 12 months where they share in household, cooking, and cleaning responsibilities. after 30 days in the program residents are allowed visitation passes in order to re-connect with family and loved ones. The objective of this project was to construct a space, on the grounds of the CWC, where residents can visit in a healthy, attractive, outdoor setting amongst themselves, or visiting family. The CWC is funded exclusively by grants and individual donors, which is almost wholly exhausted to fund programming. There is little in the way of resources to fund any capital projects.

Impact There are currently 13 women in the program, with participants "ageing out" or leaving the program throughout the course of a year. In addition, most of the women have direct family with whom they re-connect over the course of their time in the program. It is estimated that a total of at least 130 unique individuals are impacted annually by the program.

15 Rotarian volunteers were recruited to assist in the actual construction of an approximate 12 foot diameter seating area, centered by an iron firepit. We hosted a work day in one Rotarian's shop to assemble the chairs followed by several other days to deliver materials and construct the fire ring. The firepit was assembled with a wood border and gravel base.

The ladies at the CWC were delighted with our project and will make use of it for a gathering area for years to come. The Rotary Club of Griffin was featured along with CWC staff and residents on the front page of the Griffin Daily News. The Adirondack chairs are labeled with a Rotary decal to commemorate this project along with a mounted plaque near the firewood rack.