The Lifewell – 907 W. Main

Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

We provide a safe, nurturing environment where kids participate in recreational activities, academically enriching experiences, Scouting and Christian Education with the leadership and supervision of caring Christian adults.

740.450.7650
pastorblau@aol.com
www.thelifewell.org
Site: 907 W. Main Street, Zanesville, Ohio
Mail: PO Box 2154, Zanesville, Ohio 43702
Other: Pastor Gay E. Blau
740.982.3931

Mission statement: “Walking alongside the residents of the southwest area of Zanesville with the compassion of Christ. Committed to offering a nurturing environment where positive person growth can occur, especially in school age students and their families.”

A few sentences to describe the organization: We provide a safe, nurturing environment where kids participate in recreational activities, academically enriching experiences, Scouting and Christian Education with the leadership and supervision of caring Christian adults.

Who we are: We are ministry prioritized to touch the lives of school age children and teens with the love of Christ. While identified with The United Methodist Church, from whom we receive 1/3 of our support, we are considered by all to be a 501 C 3 community ministry seeking assistance and partnership with other Christian Churches and community organizations and businesses.

Staff: Pastor Gay Blau, Ordained United Methodist Pastor of Crooksville First Hope UMC serves as the Executive Director of Lifewell W. Main, caring for the spiritual needs of participants as well as casting the vision for the mininstry and coordinating the staff/volunteers, fuinding to fulfill the mission.
Maribeth Snyder, lifelong resident of Zanesville of the Zanesville area who is a Lay Pastor at Canneville UMC and serves at the Lifewell W Main as the leader in day to day programming and supervision of students.
LaTisha McCrae, neighborhood resident – who serves at the Lifewell W. Main as head of transportation and food service along with supervising the students.

What we do: We provide a safe, nurturing environment where kids participate in recreational activities, academically enriching experiences, Scouting and Christian Education with the leadership and supervision of caring Christian adults.

How we do it: Our program is set up to have organized activities as well as guided free time. Our intent is to provide as many caring adult Christian Role Models/Mentors as possible to participate with the students in both group and one on one activities.

Pool, ping-pong, air hockey, board games, craft supplies and outdoor equipment is made available.
Tutoring is offered for those who desire academic assistance. A computer lab provides oopportunities for students to work on school projects and play educational games. Summer programming is designed with each day having a different knowledge building course such as Spelling/Math/Science/Social Studies along with daily sustained silent reading or a book read aloud by the staff.

Weekly Christian Education classes are taught all year long in a Vacation Bible School type format. Special Dramas are presented by the students in the Christmas and Easter Seasons. Occasional worship services provide opportunities for families to express the love for God that is opening up in their hearts.

Weekly Boy and Girl Scout clubs are offered. The Boy Scout program has developed to the point that in addition to the in house learning and earning of merit badges, boys participate in outings and campouts. Our Girl Scout program is just now becoming cohesive. More leaders are needed to assist in projects outside our doors.

Each day students are provided with a snack as they enter the building, and a hot nutritious meal is served each evening at 6 PM. Whenever possible, students are involved in meal preparation, serving and clean-up. Food items are sent home with the students periodically to minister to needs of our families.

Could we use volunteer help?
Leading programs, preparing meals, spending one on one time with students, teaching guitar, piano or dance lessons to students who are interested, cleaning and organizing the building, caring for the appearance of the playground in the backyard, computer maintenance and monitoring, maintaining recreational equipment, fundraising and office work.

How many volunteers at a time? A group of 5 or so could come and “take over for the day” – leading program, preparing meal, etc. Or individual volunteers could come to tutor or mentor a student, clean bathrooms, secretarial work etc. Work parties would be welcome to give our building/yard an overhaul. (This is really needed over Christmas Break, the 2nd week of June, and the week after the fair –times when the program is not in session and things need to be made ready for then the students come back.)

Are there opportunities for volunteers to come and minister to the people we serve?
We really want volunteers to be involved with kids and their families.
It would be ideal to have a mentor couple matched to a family (We have approximately 55 students from 20 families involved on a monthly basis. Mentors could connect with the students at the center on weekly basis, and perhaps make contact with the parents in some way on a monthly basis.

We are currently partnering with Alice Adkins of Hope Outreach to provide a place where those who find themselves on the streets may come to receive a warm meal, listening ears and Christian guidance. We believe that this will touch not only some of the student’s families, but also some of the drug addicts and prostitutes who feel that they have no one who cares about them.