A B O U T U S
The mission of the Shade Community Center Association is to enhance and enrich the lives of the members of our community. In fulfilling our mission, the Center promotes a spirit of community and identifies and responds to community needs. We cooperate with various individuals and organizations to promote recreational and cultural events. The Center provides meeting space and assorted programs for different age groups and interests.
Our goals are:
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To maintain and preserve the Shade School building, located in Lodi Township, County of Athens, in the Appalachian region of the State of Ohio
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To oversee the perpetual care of said building
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To provide a facility for instruction and training to the public for the purpose of improving personal and professional development
Specific purposes include providing:
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Meeting and activity space for the Shade Senior Citizens Association
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Facilities for youth activities such as sport programs, 4-H club meetings, computer lab, tutoring programs, and family-oriented programs
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Facilities to individuals or organizations conducting social activities such as family reunions, receptions, memorial services, and fund-raising events
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Facilities to house local historical artifacts, research materials, and displays
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Facilities for civic activities such as an election site, holiday programs and public functions.
Read more about the Shade Community Center in our Constitution and By-laws and the Standing Rules.
Our History
Construction started on the Shade Consolidated School building in 1936 and was completed for school in the fall of 1937. Students from Lodi, Alexander, and Carthage Townships in Athens County, and Bedford Township in Meigs County received their education there in grades 1-12. The school became the center of the community for ball games, holiday celebrations, 4-H events, square dances, and the annual Alumni Banquet, just to name a few.
When local resident Steve Kane and township Trustee Roger Hawk heard the recently vacated Shade Junior High School building might be the target of a wrecking ball, they went into action. They appealed to the local residents for support and received over $20,000 in pledges. The prospect of losing the building would have meant an almost total loss of community to the residents. With seed money from the O’Bleness Foundation, the Shade Community Center Association (SCCA) was formed. The Lodi Township Trustees bought the Shade School building and grounds from the Alexander Local School District for $10, and the SCCA signed a 25-year lease on March 29, 2005.
Want to contribute? Become a member or attend a fundraising event!