GREEN COVE SPRINGS – When Teresa Scott isn’t at her job as the CEO and President of the Penney Farms Retirement Community, she’s busy working with a determined group of people, making The …
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GREEN COVE SPRINGS – When Teresa Scott isn’t at her job as the CEO and President of the Penney Farms Retirement Community, she’s busy working with a determined group of people, making The Vineyard Transitional Center a reality.
She joined Pastor John Sanders, Challenge Enterprises Chief Executive Officer Katie Vineyard, and retired Challenge Enterprises CEO Nancy Keating Monday at the construction site where a transition center for 16 newly released inmates from the Clay County Jail will provide support services to reduce recidivism and promote independence.
They stood in a light rain, admiring a stack of cinder blocks and newly built floor framing. As Vineyard’s Advisory Board members, they can finally see their work move from a designer’s drawing board to reality.
They all know construction will progress as quickly as fundraising. Essentially, it will be block-by-block.
“We should get T-shirts made: ‘Don't be a blockhead,’” Scott said.
The greatest immediate need is cinder blocks. They cost $3 each, and The Vineyard will need about 3,000. Sanders said they already have about 400, so they need another 2,400.
“Our goal is to have all 3,000 by the end of the month,” he said.
Sanders said the nonprofit will accept leftover blocks from construction companies and donations from groups and individuals. Sanders and Executive Director Joseph Smith, along with the organization’s advisors, will be working all their connections – and beyond – over the next couple of weeks to meet Sanders’ deadline to pay for the blocks needed to complete the project's next phase.
“It's truly a grassroots approach to building what's needed in the community,” Scott said. “It's taking individuals willing to give up their time, talent, skills, and money to help make this happen. One organization will be digging the footers. Another organization will be doing the plumbing. Another organization will be doing the electric. So much of the manpower has been donated.
“What we are going to focus our fundraising on right now are the supplies to make it happen. The beginning thing we will need, what we're working on, is blocks. We are fundraising, literally, block by block, for the building, and we need 3,000 blocks. Each block is $3. If we have anybody who would like to give money toward purchasing of those blocks, that’s what our efforts are really focused on right now.”
Sanders said donors can get more information by downloading the QR code at vtcclay.org or emailing help@ctclay.org.
The Vineyard is being built at 518 Pine Ave., less than three blocks south of the Clay County Jail. One of the transition center’s most prominent supporters is Sheriff Michelle Cook.
“I think the most important thing that our sheriff reminded us that 95% of the inmates leave jail and we need our community needs to be prepared to help them be successful,” Keating said. “I think through the Vineyard Transition Center and helping to build this building will enhance their abilities to stop the recidivism.”
The old Vineyard was in disrepair, and a contractor said it would cost more to fix than tear down and replace. Sanders had the building demolished in 2022, and he started fundraising to build a new $500,000 facility where inmates will learn job and life skills before returning to become valuable members of their families and community.
Scott said the community has been very supportive of the project.
“The community has been very generous,” she said. “We’ve had numerous events. Their events are very small, and those fundraisers are very focused on the community, such as the kickball tournament or selling the Boston butts. It really is the community at large, within Clay County, and particularly Green Cove, who is supporting the fundraising efforts to build this building.”
Block-by-block.