Oasis Community Center Opens

The new San Jose and Bea Main Community Center in Oasis has been six years in the making, and now, the sweat and tears are paying off.

The non-profit, built from private funds, will help build a better future for youth, said organizers involved with the project.

The blessing was delivered first, at an event Friday, followed by two cuts at the ribbon, and with that, the grand opening of the new center took place.

“It’s going to help me improve on my school grades and help me more on tests,” said Anais Pena, 11, who lives in the community.

The gut reaction some may have when they drive up to the Center may be that it’s nothing special, but that would be inaccurate. The two buildings kind of look like a storage facility, but just like books, never judge a building by it’s cover.

The first building will be the education center. It includes 25 laptops available for middle and high-schoolers to work on. Next door, most of the building is open space, where meetings, health clinics and after-school programs that will focus on student needs will take place.

“(Students) are representing the future of this country, of our society, and consequently they are the hope of making this donation as great as it is,” said Sergio Carranza, a project manager.

Mecca, Oasis and Thermal residents have been begging for these resources, said organizers.

Six years, and more than $800,000 later, the wait is over.

“It’s going to help me learn more English,” said Ana Sandrazacarias, 11, who lives in the community.

Supervisor John Benoit, District-4, said a county-run community center is years away from coming to this area, but residents said that the new facility is a great start.