Lansing women host fundraiser for new community center

Two Lansing women are working to create a community center for the city's north side, but they need the public's help to do it.

Ceci Bordayo and Santoria Bell were all over the community for their 'Power of One Event' on Saturday.

They say this event was one of the biggest efforts to raise funds for the much-needed community center and they were hoping it could make a dent in the $300,000 they need to renovate the Pass It On Community Center.

"At first we kind of joked about it, like everyone give one dollar, but then I was like maybe we can do a campaign around that it's catchy," Santoria Bell, Executive Director said about the event.

"It's literally one community, one cause happening right here in Lansing, MI," Ceci Bordayo, Director and creator of Pass It On Community Center continued after Bell.

Both Bell and Bordayo were really hoping for a great turn out for this fundraiser, and they got one.

Community members were eager to pitch in, one person in particular at a local coffee shop.

"I was talking to some people from the program and they were doing some really cool stuff and I thought they deserved a few extra dollars for the 'Pass It On' cause," Brandon Frisk, Resident of Lansing said.

Although it's quite the goal to raise 300,000 dollars in a year, they say they're off to a great start.

An extra challenge came from the mayor of Lansing at the beginning of Bordayo deciding to renovate this soon-to-be community center. She says that pushed her to do this event.

"The mayor challenged us if we could get our building up and running by the end of October, not only would he support us but would be a host site for the future state of the city," Bordayo said.

Bordayo also said she met with Mayor, Andy Schor, to discuss exactly what she planned for the building and he said he would support her if she could get it up and running by October.

"He made time in his schedule. sat down, heard our whole idea and then took a tour of the building and afterward he was like I love it," Bell said of the Mayor.

The space for the potential community center was once used for a union hall, boxing arena, and other recreations, but after sitting vacant for years, it was in danger of being torn down.

Bordayo said when she heard the news, she knew she couldn't let that happen.

"It really meant a lot to me because you know, I moved around a lot when I was a kid and one of the addresses that me and my family would live in at one time would be the church address, and that building, in particular, was a place that provided a stage for me," Bordayo said.

Directors say they plan to give the same stage to other kids.

"We really want to foster an environment that helps children create and become who they want to be," Bell said.

They plan to have a commercial kitchen for kids who like culinary, graphic design lab, theater, and more activities.

They say while they're focusing on youth, they also want to benefit adults.

Bordayo says shes already began to work with construction workers and articulates to began the remodel.

'Pass It On' community center's online fundraiser is going to stay on their Facebook page.

So far they've raised 4,000 dollars toward their goal.