Community concern about TCH

As a community activist and long-time supporter of The Community House (TCH), I share the concerns about the future of this wonderful facility expressed in the Incoming section in the April edition of Downtown Newsmagazine.

For the past 40 years, I have been actively involved with TCH – my daughters took ballet lessons from the highly-regarded Rosemarie Gregor through the dance academy; I served on TCH Marketing Committee and was an enthusiastic volunteer; taught mah jongg classes to hundreds of interested students from 2006 through 2019; attended numerous meetings, luncheons and special events held at TCH.

Now, most of these activities no longer take place at TCH. The Senior Men’s and Women’s Clubs, as well as several community service organizations no longer meet there. The hubbub, conversations and laughter have stopped; the building is often quiet. Why is the big question.

I am hopeful that Bill Seklar, CEO, and TCH Board will pay attention to the fact that community members are watching what’s happening at TCH and will strive to fulfill one of the basic responsibilities of nonprofit leadership: to ensure that the organization is true to its mission and integrates it into all aspects of its operations. Hopefully, they will implement the changes and improvements necessary to once again make TCH the vibrant meeting/learning/recreational gathering spot that it was in the past.

Rackeline Hoff

Birmingham

(Rackeline Hoff is a former long-time Birmingham City Commissioner.)