West Alexander nonprofit touches a variety of needs
In 2019, Dr. Kathleen Miller launched the nonprofit Kleine Klasse Schule, German for 鈥渟mall classroom school.鈥�
The former teacher set up a tutoring program in a building a few doors down from her home in West Alexander, helping anyone who walked through the door 鈥� from adults who needed a hand getting a GED to third-grade students who just couldn鈥檛 seem to grasp math.
Soon, the tutoring center became a gathering place for adults and those with special needs. Miller said they鈥檇 play games and socialize.
Then others began stopping by.
鈥淧eople started bringing in bags of clothes and asking if I wanted to give them away, and then others would bring in unexpired food. I ended up with a full-fledged free store in the front of the tutoring building with racks of clothes set up and a section dedicated to food,鈥� Miller said.
To reflect the broader mission, she changed the name from Kleine Klasse Schule to West Alexander Area Community for Services or WAACOS (wackos) for short.
鈥淥ur tagline is, 鈥榃e鈥檙e not crazy, we鈥檙e just waccos鈥� because so many people told me I was crazy (because) I would never revitalize West Alexander,鈥� Miller said.
It was at her home in West Alexander where the inspiration to start a nonprofit first hit.
鈥淚 was looking out my kitchen window and just felt extremely guilty because my own town had been deteriorating. I thought I should do something about this town that was so amazing when I was growing up,鈥� Miller said.
Once WAACOS was established, Miller started applying for grants to support her vision.
She launched a community garden at the West Alexander Presbyterian Church and then a veteran banner project.
鈥淪ome said there couldn鈥檛 be that many veterans in this area, but within a year I had more than 70 veteran banners that we鈥檝e hung on the electric poles in town,鈥� she said. Now, there鈥檚 a waiting list for the banners.
If she wasn鈥檛 busy enough, Miller moved the clothing and food areas into two large sheds on the property and created a new gathering spot, the Gretna Green Caf茅 with breakfast, lunch and dessert.
It鈥檚 all with the vision to improve West Alexander, she said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 working. People are coming together. We have neighbors meeting neighbors. We鈥檙e hanging out at the caf茅 together,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淢y doctoral degree is in education but my dissertation was in social capital 鈥� all about connecting communities, families and schools to provide upward mobility for all people. That鈥檚 my philosophy in life.鈥�
Like most nonprofits, WAACO can always use monetary support at https://www.waacos.com/, however, Miller said she鈥檚 also looking for volunteers.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going anywhere, but I am ready to pass the torch on to others who believe in this and can really commit to moving it forward,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had people stop by and say, 鈥榃e can see the difference this organization is making鈥� and I鈥檓 proud of it.鈥�