The Wreck Center works to be heart of community

By Andy Stine

astine@altoonamirror.com

HOUTZDALE — The Wreck Center aims to be the heart of the community by shining the love of Christ to kids taking part in the church youth group. But the center offers so much more, said Jeffrey Aldridge.

Aldridge, pastor of the Moshannon Valley Community Church in Ramey, helps run The Wreck Center, which hosts the church youth group, the main function of the building.

“On a good Sunday, we’ll have 10-15 youth come through and hang out with us,” he said. “Everyone in the community is invited. They can have their friends come over. It’s not inclusive through the church.”

The Wreck Center opened about 15 years ago and Aldridge has been on board for the last 12 years, ever since moving to central Pennsylvania from South Carolina.

The building on Hannah Street in Houtzdale was used most exclusively for an after-school program for the area’s youth, but today is used for meetings and events, too.

In addition to the youth group, the center hosts weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and the local 4-H Club meets there monthly, he said.

The building is also open for small rentals such as funeral dinners, birthday parties, or any small get-together where the public needs a smaller space, Aldridge said.

“It’s not part of our hardcore mission, but we do rent it out as a small place,” he said. “In this area, you either have no place or somewhere that wants a lot of money. We try to keep it at a reasonable rate to rent it out for people who need it for small birthday parties or something.”

As a way of meeting the needs of the community, the center hosts a backpack giveaway before school starts, with the event featuring games, crafts, snacks and more. They also run a soup kitchen every August, Aldridge said.

And, the center has gotten involved in the community, helping out with the annual Houtzdale Days 5K race. This year, the 5K Run/Walk and Fireman’s Challenge is set for Aug. 1 and, new this year, the timing company will take care of the placements. 

“You asked and we responded,” states the post on the Houtzdale Days 5K Facebook page. “The 2026 race will include bibs with timing chips in them and the results will post automatically creating a much smoother and easier process at the finish line. The new timing company is also the registration site. Give yourself the motivation to start running now. Sign up at https://events.elitefeats.com/26houtzdale and get to work.”

In its posting about the race, The Wreck Center said those signing up for the race will be showing their support for The Houtzdale-Ramey Fire Company as well as the center.

For those wondering where the name The Wreck Center comes from, the center’s Facebook page says it all: “Amazing Grace, How Sweet The Sound … That Saved A WRECK Like Me.”

For more information on The Wreck Center, visit their Facebook page.