Happy birthday to the
Northeast Community Center

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

The now-thriving Northeast Community Center started from humble beginnings, to say the least.
The center, at 2840 Holme Ave., sits on ground occupied by the Northeast YWCA from 1964 to ’94.
The YWCA closed in October 1994, leaving behind workers without jobs and members without a place to go. The inside and outside of the property continued to deteriorate.
A year later, the YWCA’s former acting administrator, Mindy Lange, decided she wanted to reopen the center. She teamed with her brother, Stan Cohen, who was looking to ease out of the potentially dangerous world of private investigations.
The brother-and-sister team believed the community needed a place to go for affordable educational, recreational and health/fitness programs.
Lange and Cohen formed the non-profit Phoenix Horizons Inc., and worked with former employees, members, volunteers, state Rep. John Perzel and then-City Controller Jonathan Saidel to raise the money to purchase the building.
They lobbied the city for help, arguing that the Northeast was underserved. The city didn’t exactly embrace the idea, merely offering to send one of them to a grant-writing course.
Nevertheless, others helped to the point that Phoenix Horizons was able to pop champagne corks on Aug. 13, 1997, the date of settlement.
Then, the real hard work started. The building had become a target for vandals and a resting spot for the homeless. Inside, Cohen recalls, there were "mountains of junk."
A hastily ordered sign out front promoted the "future home" of the Northeast Community Center.
"My home number was on it because we didn’t have an office," Lange remembered.
The bulk of the work was done by Lange, Cohen, their spouses and kids, volunteers and a two-man contracting team. There was no heat during some of the chilly days.
"We were working ’round the clock," Cohen said. "We went a lot of nights without seeing our family."
The big day came on Nov. 30, 1997, when the Northeast Community Center opened for business. To celebrate the occasion, Lange, Cohen and their families — along with Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce president Al Taubenberger — jumped into the Arthritis Foundation-certified swimming pool.
For the last decade, the center has been about offering a wide variety of programs for people young and old.
It’s not easy starting a community center from scratch, Lange and Cohen learned. They even had to use their own cars in the beginning to pick up after-school students. Even today, the center counts on flea markets and bake sales to make ends meet.
"In ten years, there has been a lot of gray hair," Lange said.
Still, times are good at the center. It’s open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are 13 full-time employees, 31 part-time workers and 2,200 members who sign up for three months or a year at a time. Since its opening, the center has expanded once to its current size of 30,000 square feet.
To celebrate the good times, the center will hold a gala affair on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Ballroom at Bridgemen’s Hall and an open house on Friday, Nov. 30.
That day, everyone is invited to visit the center and participate in its programs for free.
Over the years, the center has welcomed 1,395 children to its summer camp and 290 for its after-school program. There have been nine pre-school classes made up of 360 graduates.
"And that’s just the youth stuff," said Lange, director of administrative operations.
The community center offers boxing, pilates, body toning, yoga, water exercise classes, swimming lessons, a bowling program, monthly pro wrestling cards, computer training, arts and crafts and more.
In 1998, the center was honored to host the re-election announcement by Gov. Tom Ridge.
The center has also won the city’s Brighter Futures Award for its work with mentally and physically handicapped people. Its motto is "acceptance by inclusion." Wednesday nights are dedicated to "Friends, Fun and Fitness, with disabled youths and adults exercising, swimming and playing in the gym with members.
"It’s like Big Brother Big Sister," said Cohen, the executive director.
The gym and men’s basketball league are named in memory of Paul Lange, Mindy’s late husband, who put in countless hours of volunteer work at the center.
The fitness center is named in honor of Perzel. All members are given complimentary personal training so they know how to use the equipment.
"We take a proactive approach. We want you to do it and do it right," Cohen said.
Members at the center come in all ages, shapes and sizes.
"It’s family oriented," Lange said.
Added Cohen: "Everybody knows everybody. Members who come here stay here."
In the future, the center wants to offer more programs and purchase adjacent Fairmount Park Commission ground to expand its 22-space parking lot. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com

Join in the fun. . .

The Northeast Community Center’s 10th anniversary gala will take place on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 7 to 11 p.m., at the Ballroom at Bridgemen’s Hall, 11600 Norcom Road.
The cost is $60 and includes a buffet dinner, open bar, music, dancing and door prizes. Money will also be raised in raffles and silent and live auctions.
For information, call 215-335-0870 or visit www.neccphilly.com