“Too many of us are not living our dreams…we are too busy living our fears.” By Les Brown
As a devoted follower of this Blog, how many times have you seen the image of the front of the Copey Learning Center? Each Post since 2015 has had the image presented. Additionally, the image has been in the background for hundreds of photos we have enjoyed posting over the years.
We can say with some certainty the image of the Copey Learning Center has earned the right to be called an icon. Among us “Friends”, we recognize it and feel some emotional connection each time we see it. We know without question the color scheme along with the name uniquely presented on the front is something we have become very familiar with. I have 
featured the same photo more than 300 times as the official Post photo. And, the actual number of times this same image has been seen by those visiting the Post since 2015 exceeds 17,600 times.
Also, conservatively speaking, the front of the Copey Learning Center has been the backdrop many more times and seen by others possibly in the hundreds of thousands.
Changes Are Coming!
Today, the Copey Learning Center is preparing for the construction crew to come into the facility to make significant renovations. A new home (temporary) is being sought and the new location is expected to be confirmed this week. Following construction, it is not certain if the Copey Learning Center will resume operations in the newly remodeled facility. The decision in part depends on the local city government officials and they may have other plans in mind.
The Copey Learning Center will continue although just where at the moment is not certain. Students, volunteer teachers, and the community are already set up for continuing the wonderful work they have been doing now for over a decade. The location is the only uncertainty at this hour.
Good News…Bad News!
The good news is the Copey Learning Center has been a safe location for students to learn English. The location has provided stability and continuity. At best, the location has been a “quasi” suitable facility to house twenty or thirty plus students daily and a storage place for numerous educational supplies and materials. And, frankly nothing else has been available in Copey capable of meeting these various facility requirements.
The bad news has been the existence of various structural problems, leaking issues together with electrical and plumbing issues. These very deep rooted problems were seldom fully corrected or significantly improved on. Typically, quick fixes were often applied causing frequent and continuous issues that impacted learning. Regardless, the Board of Directors, Executive Director, volunteer teachers, parents and students all worked together to achieve the very special mission of English education.
The Church
Historically, the Catholic Church, which has burned down, has been the most 
recognizable landmark in Copey. However, since the church was destroyed by fire two years ago and the emergence of the devoted followers of this Blog, I think it is very possible the Copey Learning Center has become the more recent landmark for the community. Certainly, for the past six years, the images of the Copey Learning Center has been seen many more times by a much wider range of viewers than the historical church. My data indicates people from more than 75 countries have visited this Blog since 2014. Each follower has seen the iconic photo of the front of the Copey Learning Center and in the background of photos many times worldwide.
Therefore, I have a special relationship with the image of the Copey Learning Center photo. It has been very special to me and saying goodbye to this image is difficult. Fortunately, we still have the past Posts, the everyday photos, and the memories of this distinctive entry way into the Copey Learning Center and into the hearts and souls of a community.
The next chapter of this journey is just up the road. We are planning to start the 2020 school year soon and next week I will launch the annual fundraising campaigns as we have done each year. 
The Anne G. Broady Scholarship Fund and the Executive Director’s Salary Support campaigns will be formally announced in next week’s Post. Our annual goals will be similar. I sincerely hope many of you will consider this opportunity and financially support this project. If you have never been a financial supporter, this would be a great time to start.
Our expectations for 2020 are as great as ever and could never be met without some financial support.
Seldom do we have the opportunity to impact lives as directly as we do. Our financial support goes directly to the sources of need with no overhead, no red tape, or other administrative distractions interring with education. Please check in next week to experience the fundraising kick off. Even with a new location…“We will make the difference!”