A local center helping children is getting a major makeover. Monday, more than 100 volunteers teamed up to help renovate the Utah Dream Center, which has been serving the community for more than ten years. The center primarily serves refugee children and by this Friday, they'll come back to a newly polished place, a place they call a safe haven.
"100 percent, 100 percent excited," exclaims Joseph Mezquita, an 8 year-old who goes to the center every Sunday. He along with other kids like Shoklin from Somalia is excited about the renovation. "Sometimes we make art and then we play and stuff," she says.
Alfred Murillo began the Utah Dream Center more than 10 years ago. "Ii knew there was some unique challenges here on the west side," says Murillo. "So many kids in the neighborhood clearly look at this as their place." Murillo says the center is a safe haven for the youth, a place where they can come after school to do their homework, to eat and to play but the building needs a makeover in order to keep running.
"It's neat to see people get together," says Greg Adamson with Heart 2 Home which is just one of the several non-profit organizations helping with the the makeover. Volunteers, even the Jazz Bear came out to help. They smashed windows, peeled back carpeting and removed old tile inside all in an effort to make the community center look new. So far, Heart 2 Home has helped pour about $30,000 into the project but they still need help, especially if they want to get it done by this Friday. "We're still looking for things we need heating and air, the building is in dire need of heating and air we need a roofer to come out; we need a lot of people." says Adamson.
If you'd like to help, contact Alfred Murillo. The information is here: http://www.utahdreamcenter.org/Welcome.html
