Church turns leaves into gym

A memorial tree will help build a place for neighborhood kids.

By ARLEEN SPENCELEY
Published June 26, 2007

HOLIDAY - Pastor Richard Keep knows money doesn't grow on trees. But he says it can make trees grow. Especially trees like the one in his church foyer.

For now, what he calls a "memorial tree" is fastened to a wall in the foyer at Holiday Free Methodist Church at 5015 Darlington Ave.

Each rock beneath the tree and each leaf on the tree — copper, silver or gold in color — represents a donation made. And each donation cuts a little of the cost for the church's community-geared building project.

"We're building a gym for the neighborhood as a means of bringing in kids off the street," Keep said. "It's not for us; it's for the community."

Keep hopes the gym, which the church will call its Family Life Center, will play a part in making positive changes for the community that surrounds the church.

"About two years ago, we really looked at moving out of the community because it was getting kind of wild," he said. "(But) we made a conscious decision to stay here and improve the community."

According to Ray Kelly, the church's building committee treasurer, the congregation expects to receive final building permits this week.

After that, the construction project for the 7,000-square- foot building can begin, and will cost about $770,000.

Plans now are to include a basketball court and a kitchen, and the congregation plans to invite the community to use it. It will also be the permanent home for the memorial tree.

"We can set it up in a lot of different (ways,)" said Keep, who plans for the facility to house banquets, tutoring services and community events.

The church also hopes to offer the gym as a shelter during storms.

"It's going to be used for all kinds of family affairs," Kelly added.

He also said the Family Life Center is going to be important for the church as well as for the community.

"Our church, in the past, has been sort of a retired peoples' church, and we're trying to change that," he said.

"We would like to build a younger group of people into our congregation."

And with this new building, Kelly believes that will happen.

So far, the rocks and leaves have brought in about $14,000.

But according to Keep, there's plenty of room for it to grow.

"It's going to be exciting for the community to have a part in this," he said. "And we hope that they will."

Fast Facts:

To help tree grow

For more information on the tree, call Richard Keep at (727) 937-9375. Donations can be made in honor or memory of someone or for other reasons.

Copper leaves start at $75, silver at $100 and gold leaves are $125 to $500.

Rocks are $500-$5,000.

[Last modified June 25, 2007, 21:30:32]