As part of its 50th Anniversary Celebration this year, Brighton center has introduced a “50 Years, 50 Stories” series to highlight some of the customers, volunteers, donors, community partners or supporters who are part of its history.
The Northern Kentucky Tribune has partnered with Brighton Center to share some of those firsthand accounts with our readers.
In the coming weeks, the Trib will publish individual stories that demonstrate the breadth of services Brighton Center provides in Northern Kentucky.
Occasionally some slight edits may be made in the text and, to protect confidentiality, we might only provide the first name of the storyteller.
These testimonials, however, describe some of the programs and services Brighton Center has provided in its first 50 years, in the words of the people who have benefited from them.
Jack Kleier – “The Bike Guy”
“I first became involved with Brighton Center by being invited to join the Board by a Board Member who was ending his term.
I was put on the program Committee and through that learned about all the operations of the Agency. We did evaluations of the programs annually. The thing that brings the most pride to mind is the high standards that this Agency has maintained through the years as it has served the needs of its clients.
From its meager beginnings to its tremendous growth, it still keeps its sight set on the people it serves. I remember when the Board made a decision to include one of its clients on the Board in order to hear their needs rather than what the Agency thought they needed.
The impact that most affected me was the year I volunteered for the Used Toy Sale event. The joy in the eyes of the kids to be able to get a Christmas present for their siblings was a sight to behold.
As a result I saw bicycles that were for sale for a $.25 that needed air in the tires, chains put back on, and brakes made workable. For the next two or three years I worked under stairwells, in hall ways, and crowed rooms to fix them as much as I could. As a result of that I asked my Church for space to work on Bikes year round.
Thus began the bicycle ministry. We have reconditioned hundreds of bicycles and given them to Brighton Center to give to children.
Brighton Center has grown from a very small agency with one full time employee to the largest Social Agency in Northern Kentucky. The services they offer have grown likewise. The quality has remained very very high. It is these qualities that prompt me to continue my support and to encourage others to do likewise.
My message to the Community is this, come spend some time as a volunteer, at the Used Toy Sale, food distribution, or in whatever way you feel comfortable. It will change you in ways you didn’t think possible.”
From its beginning in 1966 as a modest Newport storefront, Brighton Center has grown to provide a range of programs and services which include meeting basic needs, adult and early childhood education, workforce development, substance abuse recovery for women, affordable housing, financial education and counseling, and neighborhood based programs.
Last year Brighton Center impacted the lives of 60,892 individuals from infants to senior citizens through 37 programs in Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati
For more information about Brighton Center and its programs and services, or to become a volunteer, click here http://www.brightoncenter.com/