Green Country Ministry Offers Haven For North Tulsa Kids

A Green Country ministry is paving the way for inner-city kids in north Tulsa.

The Edu-Rec center joins education and recreation.

It's a plan that's been in motion for about five years, but couldn't reach its potential until WorldWon Ministries could find a facility.

Now they're hard at work.

WorldWon Ministries Pastor Melvin Cooper says the old Wiley Post school building is north Tulsa's next big thing.

"It gives [kids] an outlet, a place to go to be able to have fun, good fun with security and all the things in place," Cooper said.

Cooper's organization is breathing new life into the school, transforming it into a youth and family fun center.

But first, the building needs some TLC.

"This is a wonderful concept, and we're very supportive of it," Asbury Methodist Church Senior Pastor Tom Harrison said.

WorldWon teamed up with Asbury Methodist to bring in about 150 volunteers.

"It's coming from the heart, and hopefully someone in the neighborhood will benefit from it," parent Danielle McCloud-Cohen said. "If one kid benefits from us doing what we did here today, then that's all that matters."

Volunteers scrubbed, mopped, swept, ripped lockers from walls and did even some heavy lifting to jump-start the renovation.

And once complete, it will basically be a mini-amusement park -- with miniature golf, arcade games, bumper cars and even a food court.

"It means a lot to get the kids off the street and be able to give them something to do," McCloud-Cowen said.

While much of the focus will be to have fun, academics will play a vital role.

Edu-Rec will give free admission, game tokens and food to kids who take school seriously.

"We're gonna be working with schools all around our community and working with these kids to help them understand that if you get good grades, those grades are gonna pay off for you," Cooper said.

The goal is to have the facility ready by the end of March, before school's out for summer.