The Bethlehem Community Center was built in the 1950's by residents of the Bethlehem Community in Ashland City, TN. The purpose at the time was to provide the area with a place to hold various functions. Through the years, the residents contributed their time, energy and skills to maintain the building. However, over the past couple of decades, the original founders have past away or moved and the building was not properly maintained. One couple, Tommy & Norma Binkley (volunteer managers), who live a short distance from the property, have unselfishly given of their time and resources to maintain the building, with very little help from others. Tommy is related to the original founders and works hard to keep their mission alive. Without Tommy and Norma's passion, for Bethlehem Community Center, the facility and its support in this area would cease to exist. 

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Tommy and Norma were very concerned for the future of the center and began to ask others in the community to volunteer and serve as trustees. This gave the center a sense of accountability.

The trustees were diligent in keeping the facility

maintained, but were passive in reaching out to the community. As the years went by, other people became involved and several agreed to serve on a committee. Eventually this committee evolved into a Board of Directors and the trustees were invited to serve as members of the Board. The members of the Board made it their intent to revitalize the original purpose of the center. So with that intent held meetings to move the vision forward. One significant step with that mission was being recognized by the IRS as a legal non-profit. On October 17th , we established a Board, elected officers and adopted our mission statement. At that point, Bethlehem Community Center was able to apply and receive grants as an official

501(c) 3.

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We have received several annual grants from Walmart and a generous donation from Denny Mechanical and Collier Roofing that allowed us to make significant improvements to the building.