It has been a long time coming and it’s nearly complete. And through it all Square Foot Ministry has kept the faith. About the only thing needed to finish the Fayette Counseling Center in Fayetteville are donations to pay for asphalt on the Bradley Avenue parking lot and funds to cover some outstanding bills for interior materials.

“We’re close to wrapping it up,” said Square Foot’s Craig Wiley.

And what started over a year ago is very close to completion. Wiley said donations to cover the asphalt and some of the interior materials will effectively meet the financial needs of the job.

In recent days Harp Excavation has provided stone work and grading on the parking lot. This weekend work crews will finish the interior painting and landscaping, Wiley said. Beyond that, “We expect to lay carpet and finish some small punch-list items the following weekend,” he added.

From the beginning, and at the time of conception, the non-profit Square Foot signed on to build the 3,800-square-foot building.

Fayette County provided the land on Bradley Avenue to house the new counseling center. The center will pay $100 per year for the use of the property. That expense will be easy to bear compared to the nearly $3,000 per month rent currently paid by the center. Fayette Counseling Center has 20 years at its current location on Braxton Court in Fayetteville.

Donations for the project are needed. All donations are tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to Square Foot Ministry-Legacy Build ‘08 and can be sent to P.O. Box 371, Fayetteville, GA 30214. For other information on how to help with this project, visit www.legacybuild08.com or contact Beth Barron at 678-233-4662.

Fayette Counseling Center, operated by the McIntosh Trail Community Service Board (CSB), serves people of all ages who suffer from mental illnesses, behavioral problems, and substance abuse. People come to the center from referrals from the Department of Family and Children’s Services, Promise Place, the court system and as walk-ins.