The open house at the Eldred Township community center was a place for people who had not seen each other for a long time to meet and talk.

"It was very nice to see you" was heard frequently.Eighth grade was interesting for Shirley Serfass. That was one of the last years the Eldred Elementary School had an eighth-grade graduation. She said there were nine people in her class. Serfass attended the Community Center open house to recall memories and see what is new.On a wall were pictures of Constance Andrews, who celebrated her 90th birthday at the school in 2007. She was still tutoring children and directed a play each year. Andrews had been teaching for 43 years.The Constance Andrews Library is now a fitness room associated with the YMCA."We were lucky to have her. She is a community icon," said Carey Krum.Lucie White, who lives just up the road, is part of the Y staff. She gives us good exercise, said Helene Heinze. Heinze had two grandkids who attended Eldred and they enjoyed their time there.Cpl. Rickie Serfass, a deputy with the Monroe County Sheriff's office, was giving information about a neighborhood watch and accepting sign-ups for CPR classes.A table held notebooks of student projects such as "Read All About It," "Children's Testimonials," and "Monumental People in Our Lives."The original portion of the school was a project of the Eldred Township supervisors, said Krum, building manager. The township built the school and now bought it back for $1 to use as a Community Center.The school district wanted to consolidate so the 1953 portion of the school was added on to in 1976.He said he thinks they can do all kinds of community service with the building. The more people he talks to about it, the more ideas he gets.A sign says, "It takes an entire community to build a Community Center."Ann Veloplcek is on the community service committee. She said the goal is to be able to have the center sustain itself with community-based businesses. The Y has several rooms on one end of the hall. Creative Creations will be giving arts and crafts classes. It would like to set up a sewing room, said Dawn Barankovich.Four-H and Kiwanis were among the nonprofits with information tables set up. Debra Watts of Kunkletown, soon to be an ordained minister, offers classes in Your Workday for increased happiness and health in the workplace. She wants to hold interfaith meetings in the gym and will perform weddings. Primerica will help people understand how money works.A visitor said she went to Eldred for fourth grade but her first three years were spent in the one-room school.A chart shows there were 109 members on the staff over the years.Donna Meckes said she came from the Pleasant Valley district office to work with the little kids and said Eldred was a nice setting.Mike Sauers taught second grade for 11 years, and Gina Belanger was a teacher's aide in every grade wherever she was needed."We're pleased with the number of people who came through the door," Shirley Krum said. She is on the community service committee, and was part of the last class to have eighth grade graduation at Eldred in 1965.Nancy May, a Polk Township supervisor, said her oldest daughter went to kindergarten through second grade at Eldred. "It was always nice," said May. "This is beautiful."Krum said the challenge is to find people willing to put time into this project.Duane Hubbard, a custodian for 12 years, said the addition was about the same time the JC Mills School was built. He found everyone nice: the principals and teachers. It was almost like a one-room school with respect shown on both sides, the teachers and students.If students were good they were allowed to help Hubbard take the garbage out or read to himOutside the West End Ambulance had its vehicle open for viewing with people there to explain what equipment was for.There is information about what is available at the Community Center at

www.eldredtownship.org.