Leadership Macon Class Opens Sensory Room at Booker T. Washington Community Center

On Friday, December 13, 2024, the Leadership Macon Class officially celebrated the opening of a new sensory room at the Booker T. Washington Community Center, a project aimed at providing a safe and calming space for children and the local community. Each year, the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Macon class selects a project to work on throughout the year, and this year’s class chose to address a significant need in the community for a dedicated space to help individuals self-regulate and decompress.

“The class heard us and recognized the need in our community to have a safe space like this, and they responded in a most amazing way,” said Andrea Cooke, Director of Macon Mental Health Matters. “This new sensory room will be available for both the agencies in the Center and our community to use as needed.”

The sensory room, which was transformed by the Leadership Macon class, includes calming features such as soft chairs, therapeutic toys, sound machines, and special lighting to help children and adults manage stress and emotions. The room’s walls have been painted in soothing colors to enhance the peaceful atmosphere.

Jeremy Grissom, a member of the Leadership Macon Class, explained the importance of the project, saying, “I felt that it was important we start to deal with the issues that plague our community, which is conflict resolution. Being able to manage stress and dealing with difficult situations is tough. This space can help with some of that.”

Olivia Walter, another class member, added, “The Booker T. Washington Center has become a place where our community comes together to support children and meet them where they are when it comes to their needs, and we wanted to provide the children and the personnel here with something special. We are creating a calming, safe space that will be of great benefit to all who come through these doors either for assistance or to provide support.”

The project was made possible through generous sponsorships from Georgia Power, Mid South Community Federal Credit Union, C-QUL, and Atrium Health Navicent. The sensory room is now open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Booker T. Washington Community Center.