Bernie Williams lends helping hand in Bronx

Former Yankees great Bernie Williams returned to the Bronx on Wednesday, only this time it had nothing to do with baseball.

Williams helped unveil the newly renovated Mill Brook Community Center. The center was selected as one of five community centers across the nation to receive $50,000 worth of renovations from Maxwell House as part of their "Drops of Good: The Maxwell House Community Project."

"The work that was put into this project is remarkable," Williams said. "I'm sure this is going to be a great benefit to the community and it will have a huge impact on the people who come here, so it's great to be a part of this."

The renovations included installing a wheelchair lift to make the facility ADA accessible, replacing the facility's air conditioning, repairing tile flooring, and adding energy-efficient lighting. Williams rolled up his sleeves and helped with the painting to put the finishing touches on the renovations. He even participated in an impromptu jam session where he played the conga drums with other volunteers, which he said was his favorite part of the day.

The Mill Brook Community Center is in the South Bronx and is one of 16 centers that are a part of East Side House Settlement, a community resource that provides technology and career training to students and families.

"We have about 45 percent of community residents at or below the federal poverty line, so the need here is significant," said Jennifer Stebbins, development and communications officer for East Side House. "The community center is a place that provides support services for families facing difficulties."

Those services include an after school program, summer camp, day care center, and senior center. By making upgrades, the center will be able to apply for federal grants that will allow its services to grow and involve more of the community.

"During these hard economic times, people rely on community centers like this," Williams said. "It's really important to have a place like this in the community."

Before cutting the ribbon and officially opening the center, Williams thanked Maxwell House for its donation to the community. Maxwell House launched the Drops of Good program in April, nominating 10 community centers to win the makeover. After a nationwide vote, the top five vote-getters received a $50,000 donation and the other five received a $5,000 donation.

"It's very fitting for me to be a part of this, since this is basically where I used to work for 16 years," he said. "This community and this whole borough are really attached to my heart."

Those in attendance felt Williams' sentiments.

"He doesn't have to come and help us out, but the fact that he took the time to come here gives me hope and lets me know that someone can still care about their community no matter how famous he is," said Kenya Eubanks, group leader in the after school program at Mill Brook.

Williams also recently released his book, "Rhythms of the Game: The Link Between Musical and Athletic Performance." In it, he describes how his lifelong love for music helped him on the field and how his experiences as an athlete are now helping him as a musician.