United Way, Comcast to build office space for Dream Center

The United Way of Eastern New Mexico and Comcast are teaming up to help build office space for the Portales Dream Center on April 24.

It is part the United Way’s Day of Caring and Comcast’s Cares Day, which the organizations rotate between Clovis and Portales each year.

Christina Martinez, chairwoman of the Day of Caring committee, said she talked to Comcast about the Day of Caring and met Ted Blair, a Comcast employee, who mentioned the Dream Center.

“We were looking to do a caring project in Roosevelt County,” Martinez said. “When I did the campaign at Comcast, Blair said he had a project for us.”

Martinez said Blair told them the story about what happened to the center. The center was damaged by high winds last year. The Dream Center board and the Victor Life Church decided to rebuild instead of replacing the roof on the old building.

“He told me that the roof blew off the Dream Center and then it rained and everything was ruined,” Martinez said. “The insurance paid for the debris removal and building the shell of the (new) building.”

Martinez said they ran out of money before they could start on office space.

The Dream Center and the United Way are raising money for the project with raffle. Donations of $1 for a chance to win prizes on April 24 are earmarked for completing the center.

The Dream Center needs include nails, lumber, sheet rock, bathroom fixtures, heating and air conditioning unit, light fixtures, carpet and electrical wiring. Center Volunteer Gail Keener said offices, a bathroom and workroom need to be completed before the project is finished.

“We’re hoping when they do the Day of Caring on April 24 that will fix things up and we’ll be ready to open,” Keener said.