HARTSHORNE, Okla. — A woman and her husband are looking to offer one small town a lot more to do by spearheading the creation of a community center.
2 News Oklahoma’s Douglas Braff listened to locals in Hartshorne about the need and how people give a helping hand.
When asked if there’s much to do in the town of 1,800 people, Justin McLemore replied, “No, there's not a whole lot to do at all.”
“As far as community enrichment,” he added, “you don't have much in ways of that whatsoever.”
Tyler and Heather Moore said “There's not a lot to do here now. Unless you're involved with school sports, there's really not too much else for the kids to do around here.”
All the locals we listened to told us that if they want to do anything around there, there isn’t anything to do. If they want anything besides school, churches, or a handful of restaurants, they actually need go to up to McAlester, which is nearly 30 minutes northwest on U.S. 270.
“We love the spirit, the beautiful rolling hills, and we love the spirit of the people,” Charl Ann Beauchat told 2 News.
Beauchat and her husband Jerry fell in love with the old coal town, moving there over a year ago from California for their grandchild.
“We noticed that not only were there not activities for the children,” she recalled, “but there really isn't a whole lot of activities for couples or seniors.”
“So, we started looking around and thinking, ‘What is it that we could do in our retirement here?” she continued. “It just seemed that bringing people together and trying to meet some of the social, the fitness, the academic needs of the community would be to do a community center.”
Once they fix up the old armory, they plan to host all sorts of things here for people of all ages – like courses in creative writing, group counseling for grief, “mommy and me” classes, and lots of afterschool activities.
“It's a big need and I'm so thankful that somebody came along that can do the work to make it happen,” said Heather Moore. “It's been a true blessing for our town.”
Beauchat told us they plan to cut the ribbon on the new community center during the first weekend of May, just in time for when the local children get out of school for the summer.
Right now, they’re looking for some extra money to get the building repaired and to purchase furniture and other items. Those who would like to help them can head over to the nonprofit Hartshorne Community Center’s website.
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