"Heart" is a word that comes up frequently around the Marie Chase Community Center.

"We have the heart to love people, to help them in any way we can," said Keith Wilks, Adult and Youth Coordinator at MCCC.

The Marie Chase Community Center is associated with the Clark Memorial and Hope United Methodist Churches of Artesia and Hope. It is located at Clark Memorial, 2613 W. Richardson Avenue.

A product of the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Global Ministries, the center was established on a grant that enables it to be funded for three years, said Jean Riley, pastor of both churches and director of the center.

The center offers three distinct programs: after school, youth and adult.

"We provide an after school program for children, we have helped children’s families, but it all does overlap into one when you get right down to it," said Riley. "We help people find food, school clothes and supplies. And in the homes we find adults that might need help finding a job or learning how to use a computer."

Wilks describes the center’s youth program as "no hype, no hassle." He relies on the input from the youths themselves to determine what kinds of activities to plan.

"We basically want to hear, have input from the youth on types of programs they’d like to see," he said.

"Our activities are two-fold. We have activities for fun, as well as informative activities. We top it off with community service programs."

The center is designed to provide youth with a safe atmosphere.

"We want them to have a place to go to hang out and not have to worry about drugs, not have to worry about being cool," said Riley. "‘Is my park good enough? Do the other kids have nicer cars so I don’t want to stop?’"

Having grown up in Los Angeles, Wilks understands the struggles youths sometimes experience in the growing-up process.

"I know how difficult it can be making these decisions, to go with the peer group or listen to the teacher or the parent," he said. "I know how difficult it is not to really be yourself, trying to always fit in."

Wilks encourages the youth to "play it forward" when dealing with the people around them, their parents, peers and the community.

"We hope to really direct them to see that they have been given gifts and graces," he said.

Wilks believes the program functions at its best when the kids "buy into it", meaning they have a say in what activities. He points to the example of a youth from Hope, Aaron Aderholt, who inspired him when the youth program was in its formative stages.

"Aaron sat in a meeting with us and helped give us some direction for this," he said. "He was open with me about his struggles with his peers, about his reservations about older people.

"He really helped me to see that this program will function better with the youth buying into it. They have a voice, and the youth who come and be a part of this program will have a voice."

The center features a computer lab, equipped with 10 computers.

"We started a computer class to focus on people who needed to learn some job skills to better themselves," said Riley.

Twenty-five people initially responded, and the class was divided into two, one class during the day and one in the evening.

"We found the people in the night class were people who had jobs and wanted to improve their skills," she said. "The people in the day class turned out to be a group of older adults who are having a ball and really need that concept of how to run a computer."

Computer classes are taught by Riley and Marty Petsonk, the center’s computer consultant and chief technician. Classes begin Sept. 23, and applications are currently being accepted.

The Marie Chase Community Center is named for the mother of local businessman Mack Chase.

"She was an active member of the church years ago, and we did that to honor her," said Riley.

The center has benefited from the private donations of the Mack Energy Corp. and Yates Petroleum.

It recently purchased a 15-passenger van, enabling them to pick up older adults and the youth to bring them to the center and take them home at the end of the day.

"Technically, we’re an outreach ministry of the Hope and Clark United Methodist Churches," said. Riley. "But in no way are we just out there for the Methodists. We’re there for the community."

The center is administered by an eight-member board of which Carl Barnes is the chairman. Shannon Tulk is the publicity coordinator and Letha Thompson is Wilks’ assistant coordinator.

"One thing that sets the Marie Chase Community Center apart is that we work with each other," said Wilks. "We all have a heart, we all want to reach out to those who are in a struggling or difficult position.

"We may be different in a lot of ways, but our heart is tied as one."