Weymouth House Community Initiatives (WHCI), a registered 501(c) non-profit organization based in Bristol, has recently begun a new initiative to expand its role in the midcoast community.
The house, located at 1700 Bristol Rd., was formerly a home for troubled youth but now, following a brief transition period, a new board of directors is redefining the organization’s reach.
Jon Teel, Weymouth House board member and 1998 graduate of Lincoln Academy, sees WHCI as an intergenerational effort that will provide a broad range of community services from tax assistance to after school mentoring.
“It’s about compassionate and practical solutions,” said Teel. “We have an energetic and creative board with great ideas.”
In the few short months since a new board was formed, WHCI has already started a successful program called Healthy Snack Packs for Kids, a weekly initiative that provides healthy snacks for more than 44 children from the Bristol Consolidated School. In the fall, WHCI opened a thrift store in the basement of the Weymouth House, which it uses to partially fund the kids snack program.
A Friday afternoon community lunch, held between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., with a suggested modest donation, is currently in its third week. The lunch, modeled after a similar effort in Edgecomb spearheaded by Louise Hardina, features homemade soup, coffee, fresh bread and a dessert. The communal meal brings together people from all ages, said Teel, serving as an important, and sometimes only, social component for senior citizens.
The house itself has undergone an extensive remodeling and now offers a modern meeting space for professional groups, individuals, educational seminars and artists who are seeking a possible location for a retreat or workshop. In its 32-year history as a house for children in crisis, the Weymouth House served more than 150 kids in its mission but closed after funding “dried up,” said Weymouth House board chairman Terry Lowd. After a few months of philosophical limbo, a group of concerned citizens from the Bristol area began meeting to collect ideas for a new mission of the house.
In September 2010, a new 12-member board of directors was officially formed. Both Lowd and Teel see the Weymouth House as an important part of the future of the community but for now are glad to see the space come back to life.
“The enthusiasm has been tremendous so far,” said Teel. “We hope to play a positive role in the lives of the community for many years to come.”
For more information on the Weymouth House, please call 677-3700 or email weymouthhouseinc@gmail.com.
