The Salem TCRC will continue to offer educational programs and technology related services here with staff reductions and new partnerships effective next month.
The TCRC hosted Tuesday's Salem Area Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting and reported on the facility's future plans here.
Missouri University Extension a year ago announced plans to end its participation in TCRC partnerships across the state by November of this year. Since the announcement, Salem TCRC Executive and Management Committees have been exploring available options for the Salem TCRC to continue serving the Salem/Dent County community.
Renamed The Community Resource Center, the TCRC is the sole facility out of 10 in the state to remain in operation as a stand-alone facility with the loss of the MU Extension partnership. Some have closed, while a few have been absorbed by other existing educational institutions.
The Salem TCRC Executive Committee recently approved the addition of the Council for a Healthy Dent County (CHDC) to the Salem TCRC partnership. The council is a non-profit 501c3 organization that resulted from Extension's Healthy Lifestyle Initiative. After Extension's announcement regarding the TCRCs, the CHDC expressed an interest to the Salem TCRC partners to join the partnership and to help support the administrative and programmatic role with the Salem TCRC previously fulfilled by MU Extension.
The loss of Extension and US Foodservice as Salem TCRC partners necessitated a change in Salem TCRC operations. Prior to the reorganization Salem TCRC staffing included: Ray Walden as Coordinator, Charles Pace as Information Technology Specialist, and Sherry Lea as Office Manager/Administrative Assistant.
Beginning next month, the Salem TCRC will have only one full-time staff position. Sherry Lea will serve as Executive Director. Classes will be taught by Charles Pace and others to be determined on a part-time as needed basis. Walden will be seeking other employment and finishing his doctoral degree.
The reorganized Salem TCRC plans to offer similar educational programs and technology related services including:
• Computer Training
• Credit and Non-Credit Educational Programs
• Specialized Courses (have included: GPS, Photo Editing Basics, QuickBooks, Selling on eBay, and Video Editing Using Windows Movie Maker)
• Meeting Rooms
• Videoconferencing
• A/V Equipment Rental
• Video to DVD Transfer
• Public Internet and E-mail Access
• Rural Addressing for Dent County
Recent community surveys and other forms of community input have identified the following additional program and service needs:
• After school activities (e.g. tutoring, introduction to different technologies, etc.)
• Adult education (e.g. Extension courses, distance learning, computer classes, etc.)
• Services to underserved groups (e.g. helping elderly communicate electronically, family tree programs, etc.)
• Career development, job preparation, and workforce development
• Technical assistance (e.g. contract services such as non-profit and small business support, etc.)
• Electronic publishing (including print, video, or multimedia)
• Programs promoting community health
With the addition of the Council for a Healthy Dent County as a partner the Salem TCRC has the capacity to directly or indirectly assist with addressing many of these needs.
"We will continue to need to have a partnership with Dent County. We plan to have fundraisers to help off-set our revenue losses, but the TCRC is continuing on and we need community support," Lea said.
Upcoming programs and fundraisers include: the Dent County One Ton Weight Loss Challenge that began Oct. 1, a community challenge to lose 2,000 pounds by May. The program already has 175 participants. CHDC will also host its first Babysitting Academy, a program to certify youth babysitters, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 5 at the TCRC in the Salem Freedom Activity Center.
Organizations and individuals having an interest in supporting the Salem TCRC and/or to request additional programs and services are encouraged to contact the Salem TCRC at 573-729-8163 or to stop by the Salem Freedom Activity Center, 1200 West Rolla Road in Salem in the former National Guard Armory.
