Contact:
The Gerald Wallace Foundation
at The Giving Back Fund
6033 West Century Blvd, Suite 240
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(P) 310.649.5222
(F) 310.649.5070
(E) wallacefoundation@givingback.org
The Gerald Wallace Foundation
at The Giving Back Fund
6033 West Century Blvd, Suite 240
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(P) 310.649.5222
(F) 310.649.5070
(E) wallacefoundation@givingback.org
Please remember to specify the Gerald Wallace
Foundation in the donation form.
About The Phyliss Wheatley
Community Center
Community Center
Gerald was inspired to establish the Foundation
in the fall of 2007, in part, by his experience
helping to restore the Phyllis Wheatley
Community Center gym in 2006.
Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
Recreation Department
Marquis “Bird” Marbury, Director
1 Martin Luther King Drive
Childersburg, Alabama 35044
website: www.phylliswheatleycommunitycenter.
com
The purpose of the Phyllis Wheatley Community
Center is to create a safe, nurturing recreational
and learning environment for the children of our
and the surrounding communities.
The Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
Campus was formerly a Talladega County
school located in rural Talladega, Alabama.
Nestled in the heart of the Childersburg
community, the Phyllis Wheatley Middle School
valiantly served as the area’s middle school from
1969 to 1989. In the fall of 1989, it was replaced
by a larger, more modern middle school,
Childersburg Middle School. Prior to becoming
a part of the Talladega County School System,
the Phyllis Wheatley School serviced a
predominantly minority population in the
Childersburg area. However, in the fall of 1969,
it was incorporated into the local school system
as an edict of the state’s desegregation.
In the spring of 1990, the Talladega County
School system gave notice that the campus
could be purchased for a reasonable price. The
Phyllis Wheatley Alumni Association gratefully
purchased the campus so that it would remain a
vital part of the community.
In the fall of 2006, a group of community
members under the leadership of Marquis
Marbury and a financial endowment from Gerald
Wallace, banded together to restore the
gymnasium to a condition of which the
community could be proud. To date, we have
replaced all broken windows, gutted the
gymnasium, replaced the plumbing and in May,
we installed a new floor professionally designed
by DreamCourts from California.
The Grand Opening of the renovated facility was
held on the weekend of June 1, 2006 much to
the satisfaction of the community and its former
members worldwide. Although we have
accomplished much, we are still in the process
of recovering and renovating the remaining parts
of the gymnasium and other parts of the complex.
The admiration held for the center is a testament
to the closeness and familiarity of its people.
The youth, adults, and elderly of the community
deserve something from which they can benefit,
and it is our wish that we meet with even greater
success in the future.
The admiration held for the center is a testament
to the closeness and familiarity of its people.
The youth, adults, and elderly of the community
deserve something from which they can benefit,
and it is our wish that we meet with even greater
success in the future.
in the fall of 2007, in part, by his experience
helping to restore the Phyllis Wheatley
Community Center gym in 2006.
Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
Recreation Department
Marquis “Bird” Marbury, Director
1 Martin Luther King Drive
Childersburg, Alabama 35044
website: www.phylliswheatleycommunitycenter.
com
The purpose of the Phyllis Wheatley Community
Center is to create a safe, nurturing recreational
and learning environment for the children of our
and the surrounding communities.
The Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
Campus was formerly a Talladega County
school located in rural Talladega, Alabama.
Nestled in the heart of the Childersburg
community, the Phyllis Wheatley Middle School
valiantly served as the area’s middle school from
1969 to 1989. In the fall of 1989, it was replaced
by a larger, more modern middle school,
Childersburg Middle School. Prior to becoming
a part of the Talladega County School System,
the Phyllis Wheatley School serviced a
predominantly minority population in the
Childersburg area. However, in the fall of 1969,
it was incorporated into the local school system
as an edict of the state’s desegregation.
In the spring of 1990, the Talladega County
School system gave notice that the campus
could be purchased for a reasonable price. The
Phyllis Wheatley Alumni Association gratefully
purchased the campus so that it would remain a
vital part of the community.
In the fall of 2006, a group of community
members under the leadership of Marquis
Marbury and a financial endowment from Gerald
Wallace, banded together to restore the
gymnasium to a condition of which the
community could be proud. To date, we have
replaced all broken windows, gutted the
gymnasium, replaced the plumbing and in May,
we installed a new floor professionally designed
by DreamCourts from California.
The Grand Opening of the renovated facility was
held on the weekend of June 1, 2006 much to
the satisfaction of the community and its former
members worldwide. Although we have
accomplished much, we are still in the process
of recovering and renovating the remaining parts
of the gymnasium and other parts of the complex.
The admiration held for the center is a testament
to the closeness and familiarity of its people.
The youth, adults, and elderly of the community
deserve something from which they can benefit,
and it is our wish that we meet with even greater
success in the future.
The admiration held for the center is a testament
to the closeness and familiarity of its people.
The youth, adults, and elderly of the community
deserve something from which they can benefit,
and it is our wish that we meet with even greater
success in the future.
| Fall 2007 |
Gerald Lends a Hand to the
Restoration Efforts
Restoration Efforts
“We wanted to have somewhere the people, not just the kids, but the community as a
whole… we wanted a place where everyone could come together in a peaceful,
recreational environment. We wanted something that we could be proud of as a family.
The gym was just sitting here and we were trying to figure out what we could do, how we
could get it back to how it was in the days when we were kids. I think everyone has
good memories of this place.
We were working hard but moving slow in getting things done. It was hard to find the
amount of money that we needed to really get things done right. We were pricing it by
bits and pieces and planning fundraisers and events to help with the costs. It all came
together when I was talking to Gerald one day. I told him what we were doing, and he
said ‘Get a price for everything that you need. I’ll get some guys to come in and do the
floor professionally.’
In less than three days, we were underway. I was a little worried because it was really
expensive, but Gerald just said “I’ll give you whatever you need and extra. Let me know
if you need anything else.’ We were in contact with Jodi everyday getting business
things taken care of. She was really helpful with a lot of the planning.
Then when Gerald came home for the Grand Opening, he and his wife jumped right in
with us. He was just as involved in the renovations with his hands as he was with his
wallet. He painted, stripped out old bleachers, carried and put down floor tiles, and had
a good time with his family, this community. We did all the work ourselves. We would
get off work 8 to 12 hour shifts and go to work.
We’d be tired, but we were working together on something that we loved. And Gerald
was right there.”
---from Marquis “Bird” Marbury, Director
(photo to the right)
whole… we wanted a place where everyone could come together in a peaceful,
recreational environment. We wanted something that we could be proud of as a family.
The gym was just sitting here and we were trying to figure out what we could do, how we
could get it back to how it was in the days when we were kids. I think everyone has
good memories of this place.
We were working hard but moving slow in getting things done. It was hard to find the
amount of money that we needed to really get things done right. We were pricing it by
bits and pieces and planning fundraisers and events to help with the costs. It all came
together when I was talking to Gerald one day. I told him what we were doing, and he
said ‘Get a price for everything that you need. I’ll get some guys to come in and do the
floor professionally.’
In less than three days, we were underway. I was a little worried because it was really
expensive, but Gerald just said “I’ll give you whatever you need and extra. Let me know
if you need anything else.’ We were in contact with Jodi everyday getting business
things taken care of. She was really helpful with a lot of the planning.
Then when Gerald came home for the Grand Opening, he and his wife jumped right in
with us. He was just as involved in the renovations with his hands as he was with his
wallet. He painted, stripped out old bleachers, carried and put down floor tiles, and had
a good time with his family, this community. We did all the work ourselves. We would
get off work 8 to 12 hour shifts and go to work.
We’d be tired, but we were working together on something that we loved. And Gerald
was right there.”
---from Marquis “Bird” Marbury, Director
(photo to the right)
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