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At the March 31 Marengo County Board of Education meeting, members of the Independent Baptist Church approached the board to express their interest in buying the former Coxheath property near Sweet Water.

The group said they want to use the property as a site for a new church building and community outreach ministry. The current church is located on County Road 6. The speaker for the group, Kathy Levy, said that the current location of the church is in a “low-lying” area with “soft” ground that creates parking problems for members and visitors.

A church Trustee member, Willie Williams, said the property was originally owned by his grandfather, and that it would mean a lot to his family to purchase the property.

Levy said they aim to serve Marengo County spiritually and physically by offering awareness and prevention programs on eating and living healthier lives.

“We have a desire to have a healthier community. We don’t serve just Sweet Water, we serve all of Marengo County,” said Levy. “We have asked area pastors to help us spread the word on the health initiatives.”

Levy went on to discuss how people in the Marengo County area are dying from “preventable illnesses” and how they want to combat that problem and see improvements in healthcare.

“Our communities are so filled with people who have prostate or colon cancer, heart disease, and diabetes that usually leads to blindness, losing a limb, or even dialysis,” said Levy. “We want to make it as simple as possible to educate everyone in the community on why health is important. We hope to make a difference in the county.”

Levy listed several other initiatives they plan to include such as outdoor movies when weather permits, a walking trail, a wedding venue, softball, volleyball, basketball, and a concert area for groups who want to do outdoor programs. There will also be classes on healthy eating and food substitutions, as well as after school tutoring programs.

“Our overall objective is to save souls and to make our community a healthier, and better place,” said Levy.

Marengo County Superintendent Luke Hallmark thanked the group for their presentation, and said that the board would consider their offer. He said that they have received another offer on the property, and that the board would have to hear back from state auditors/examiners on what would be a fair price for the property.