WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeadernCENTER programs will continue

nCENTER programs will continue

By Samantha Ptashkin

ROCKFORD (WREX) - Winnebago County's Salvation Army will no longer run Rockford nCenter programs. The decision comes just one month after the organization announced it didn't have enough money to keep the center open.

Thanks to some familiar nCenter faces, the current Aquatic Director Dawn Busby, and current Program Coordinator Gerald Lott, the programs will stick around.

"One thing our children have is a sense they continually get let down, you give me something then you take it away," Lott said.

That's why he stepped in to keep nCenter's evening teen activities alive, so people like Steven Fish, who's been coming for the past couple of months, knows he can stay off the streets. "If it wasn't for this place I could go make friends out there, but out there there's a better chance of running in to bad people," Fish said.

The Salvation Army will help guide the new leaders, but essentially act as landlord, collecting $3,500 a month in rent from Lott and Busby, who will coordinate the adult fitness program. "When they said they may close, it's always been in the back of my mind that I will do whatever it takes to keep this open," Busby said.

Busby knows "whatever it takes" means making some changes to make sure pool activities stay afloat. That means increasing fees and hosting events to make some money. "I ask the community to bring your youth groups down, bring your boy scouts, your girl scouts, your birthday parties," Busby said.

"I'm starting a ball rolling down a hill and other people will have to help me push it," Lott said.

Some of those other people include friends of the nCenter. It plans to hold more fundraisers for the organization. Also ten workforce connection employees will help Lott run the programs. Seven current nCenter employees will lose their jobs. For now the nCenter name will stick.