It’s hard for me to believe, but it has been 20 years since the addition and renovation of the new CEB was completed. I remember the fundraising dinner. I remember community members outside of our congregation who helped us finance this project. I remember the decision to sell the “513 property” where Melick’s Town Farm now resides. I remember Ernie Stellke being upset by the sale of our nest egg, but then agreeing to start an Endowment Fund. I remember Kay Beagle insisting there be a shower and laundry in the new CEB so our IHN guests could take a shower and wash their clothes. I remember emptying stuff from the old CEB into a storage trailer. I can’t remember how we functioned for that period of time when we had no CEB.
It makes me sad to think about the people who were so involved in the process who are no longer with us (Dave Conklin and Staats Brokaw), and the CEB czars who watched over the new building (Glenn Beagle and Ernie Stellke).
I am still overwhelmed with the technology that was added with the new building - security and fire alarm systems, water conditioning, an elevator, ground water and a pump (a few years later), air conditioning, low-flush toilets that didn’t work well and fancy phones.
I am glad that after 20 years we finally figured out how to deal with “the hill”. In the beginning it was covered in grass so we could get a CO, then it was planted with cotoneaster, and then it was covered in river rock. And then it was terraced.
I am happy to see people use and enjoy the CEB. That was the hope.
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