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Lincoln Recreation Center open house, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. book discussion

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Coming together as a community is the mission of the Lincoln Recreation Center and Friends Congregational Church.

Wednesday night, you can learn more about the center as well as participate in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. book discussion.

“The center serves as a beacon for hope, a beacon for safe and a place for just the kids and seniors to be able to congregate,” said Jason McCray, assistant supervisor, Lincoln Recreation Center.

Throughout the week, morning programs are offered for seniors as well as after school care for kids.

“Senior program consists of them playing bingo, them actually having fellowship, having coffee,” said McCray. “They do a lot of different things as far as the seniors as well as they go into our gym as well. We do have a fitness room.

Seniors like Mari Mes enjoy coming to the Lincoln Center.

He says it feels like family.

Originally from The Netherlands, Mes has lived in College Station for the past 22 years.

At 81 years young, he comes to the fitness center every day.

“It’s as simple as this,” Mes said. “This is fit for an old guy like me. Simple exercises. While you’re doing it, you can talk, you can watch TV, or you can watch the weather.”

Mes says Friday night parties at the Lincoln Center are his favorite.

“These parties are a pleasure,” said Mes. “They’re fun. They are parties that you won’t find anywhere else. They’re exuberant. They’re come as you go and be your own self and enjoy the others.”

“They’re welcoming,” said Mes. “They’re friendly and you very quickly become part of the gang and that’s why I kept on coming here and I’m still going here.”

You can also participate in a book discussion led by Pastor Dan De Leon, covering Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘Strength to Love.’

“It’s actually a collection of his sermons that he preached when he was at Dexter Avenue Baptist in Montgomery and Ebenezer Baptist in Atlanta during and right after the Montgomery Bus Boycotts,” said Pastor Dan De Leon, Friends Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. "Even though its specific to something that happened in history, his approach to it is all about love.”

“It’s about love that is based on the teachings of Jesus that transcend time and context for us to be able to look at the atrocities, injustices that are keeping us divided in our time of context and saying what is keeping us apart, what is keeping anyone down, what is keeping oppressed, how can we love our way through that across our differences,” De Leon said.

The Lincoln Recreation Center open house and book discussion will both take place at the Lincoln Center from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.