The Gift of Giving: Sharing Free Vegetables with the Community

The true reward of the community garden lies in the joy it brings to the people it serves, as neighbors come together to share in the harvest of fresh, homegrown vegetables. Residents leave with baskets of tomatoes, peppers, and greens, often brimming with excitement over the meals they plan to create. The garden has blossomed into more than just a source of food—it has become a gathering place where ... Continue Reading »

From Soil to Table: Preparing and Planting a Community Garden for the West Side

Thanks to a grant from the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington, the Bob Burdette Center is creating a community garden for the people of West Charleston. The garden is located on the grounds of Emmanuel Baptist Church. The Pallottine Foundation provides support to health-related nonprofit organizations in 20 counties in the Tri-State region.The process of planting a community garden is an enriching experience that fosters not only a connection to the ... Continue Reading »

Sowing Seeds of Unity: The Birth of a Community Garden in West Charleston

The Bob Burdette Center has embarked on an inspiring mission to create a community garden in West Charleston, West Virginia. Located in the heart of the community at Emmanuel Baptist Church, this garden aims to provide fresh produce, foster connections among residents, and educate children about sustainable practices.The Bob Burdette Center‘s community garden is made possible by the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington. Through the support of transformative health ... Continue Reading »

Raising Butterflies

When my own kids were little, we raised butterflies. Raising butterflies was fun for my kids and I. You can get a kit from the craft store that will give you a place to purchase the eggs. You place the eggs onto leaves and it gives other instructions on how to care for your butterflies within the care guide. These butterflies needed oranges when they were in the caterpillar state. ... Continue Reading »

Charley West BBQ Fest

On Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Haddad Riverfront Park in Downtown Charleston!There will be live music on the levee stage throughout the day from Canvases, J. Hatfield, and Emmalea Deel and the Hot Mess.Commercial BBQ vendors will have various BBQ available for purchase on site.Competition and Backyard teams will have BBQ available for sampling in exchange for tasting tickets, which can be purchased on site from 2... Continue Reading »

Incorporating STEM Into Afterschool

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is incorporated into our programming. The future revolves around STEM. It took Math and engineering to build the railway system that goes from the east coast to the west coast. Science and technology created the cars that go on top of the railway. It was an advancement that populated the west coast. It has been instrumental in creating medical advancements, improved communication, environmental conservation, ... Continue Reading »

History of the Bob Burdette Center

The Bob Burdette Center, Inc. (BBC, or the Center) is an after-school program that serves West Side children in grades K-5. It presently operates at four sites – Edgewood Elementary, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary, and North Charleston Community Center.The program began in 1996 as the James Paige Learning Center and operated successfully under that name for two years. Much of the impetus for the program’s ... Continue Reading »

A Day In the Life of an Afterschool Program – NCCC Part 1

My name is Shirley Petretic. I’m a site coordinator at North Charleston Community Center for the Bob Burdette Center. I arrive at work by 11:30am. I work on setting up my attendance list, food lists (everything that will be served to kids that day), and get my lesson plans set up.By 1:00pm my staff walks in and tables and chairs get set up.At 1:30pm I pick up ... Continue Reading »

In the News: Bob Burdette & the Charleston Fire Department

When you are a student at the Bob Burdette Center, you have some really cool opportunities. My own child was a BBC kid and he got to go to Cleveland, OH to see the Cavs play.It’s especially terrific when we can pair up learning and play to make learning fun!This past summer, 2022, the kids at North Charleston Community Center had the opportunity to go to the Charleston ... Continue Reading »

Success stories from our afterschool

Names of children have been changed to protect their identity and comply with COPPA.I have a child in the Bob Burdette afterschool program named Andrea. Andrea was very shy and quiet. It was difficult encouraging her to stand up for herself.This year, she started to open up and has become more vocal. During homework time, I noticed something. She was writing her numbers backward. In fourth grade, that ... Continue Reading »