The T.L.C. stands for Tender Loving Care or Terry, Lavinia, and Cedar Grove, the three communities in the area. The goal is to provide medical services, educational services, after school care for children who are latch key children and a place where senior citizens can come and enjoy others of there own age. Also, to provide a place for community vacation bible school, family reunions, sporting events, dances, a library, organizational meetings, dinners, and a whole lot more.
The building is an old elementary school that was vacant for five years. It has five classrooms an office, gym, and a kitchen.
The community had to get a petition with 300 signatures to present to the school board to be able to get a ten year lease. After this there had to be a charter written and legal requirements met. All the electrical wires had to be checked and most of the plumbing for the water had to be replaced. A major clean up effort was made to clean all the rooms and the outside grounds. Most of the appliances in the kitchen had to be replaced. People from the community donated a refrigerator, freezer and two stoves, besides a lot of cooking utensils, chairs and tables.
Before the electric could be turned the building had to be secured. This meant all windows and doors had to be fixed so no one could walk in. There were about 150 windows that needed to be fixed. Once the windows were fixed and the doors secured the electric was turned on. Next came the air conditioners and heaters.
Over the last two years there have been several fund raisers. Fund raisers consisted of Stew sale, Thanksgiving dinner, a Fall Festival, rummage sale, Chili dinner, and many more. The money from the fund raisers allowed us to buy air conditioners, propane heaters, gas tank and gas.
There have been about a dozen family reunions and on the first and third Saturday of each month there is roller skating for younger children and a dance with a live band for the teenagers once per month.
New officers were elected and I become the new President as of July 1, 1997. Even though there isn't but a hand full of people that attend the monthly meetings, the community has really supported the center by there donations and support of the fund raisers. Our meeting are held on the third Sunday of each month starting at 3:00pm. The work will go on because there is a lot of work to be done.