COTTON — When the school in Cotton closed in 2011, a group of people wanted to find a new purpose for the building.
Now, it is thriving as the nonprofit Old School Lives.
Kate Crispo is the organization's executive director, and she was a recent Bright Spot guest on the KAXE Morning Show.
Cotton is located nearly 40 miles north of Duluth and about 30 miles south of Virginia. Old School Lives is a faith based nonprofit that serves a 20-mile radius of rural communities. The nearest grocery story is 30 minutes away.
"It's a very under-resourced area, where it's just right in the middle of the county, and we want to be a central location to be able connect people with resources and with each other," Crispo said.
Old School Lives has a small food shelf in the lobby, and they offer a free home-cooked lunch 11 a.m.-1 p.m. every Wednesday and Thursday. Approximately 50 people are served at each meal.
The repurposed school building features a thrift store, a mercantile shop, a fitness center, a bakery and eatery, art classes and seasonal maker markets, as well as a youth center.
Fitness classes and activities are offered, with pickleball games from 10 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Old School Lives is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesday through Friday.
The organization will host Lawn Mower Races and Big Truck Night from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, with fun games like a Weedwacker challenge and minibike races. The afternoon includes a fundraiser meal for the Cotton Volunteer Fire Department.
Listen to our conversation above to hear about the thriving nonprofit community space in Cotton.
Is there a Bright Spot in your community? Let us know!
The Bright Spot is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
