Two years ago, the Oak Grove Cape Verdean Cultural Center announced it finally obtained a space of its own.

The Oak Grove School building has been shared between the center and the South Shore Community Action Council’s Wareham Head Start child care program for the last 2 years.

Yvonne Vierra-Cardoza, president of the cultural center, said the head start program is set to be relocated next year.

In regard to the building, Vierra-Cardoza said, “As everyone knows, it was a segregated school and that school has significant, significant history — for us anyway — because I know that I can go right through Onset and tell you all the people that went there, including my father and my aunt Mary.”

With the head start program leaving, she said the center staff have “geared up” to get its programs going and build the foundation of their organization.

Vierra-Cardoza said some of these plans will include a museum as well as cooking and language classes.

Though the center was founded with the aim of educating the community about Cape Verdean culture and customs, Vierra-Cardoza said the center does not limit itself to just one culture.

She said the center’s goal is to be inclusive and explore other cultures on the South Coast.

Vierra-Cardoza added the center also plans to be a resource for members of the community such as those struggling with drug addiction or housing insecurity.

“We have people that are experts in that and that's what they do for a living,” she said. “So they can provide those services to our community.”

With the center operating for approximately two decades, Vierra-Cardoza said many members still remain from the beginning.

“We've been persistent and we have finally gotten the building,” she said. “So I don't want to see it go away after we're all gone.”

She added she encourages everyone to get involved, especially the younger generation.

On Friday, Aug. 11, the center held its annual Scholarship Fundraiser Dance.

Onset’s VFW Hall was packed with attendees excited for a night of dancing and celebration.

Attendees heard the musical stylings of the Perfect Example Band, duo Colleen Marshal and Chops Turner as well as DJ Lady K.

This dance was a fundraiser for the Mary V. Rose Scholarship created by the center, which for the past two years, has awarded scholarships to winners Benjamin Brogioli and Isabella Mombini and this year Salim Karam and Julia Bottino — all Wareham High School graduates.

In addition to the scholarship winners, awards were presented to Miguel Gomes, Lady K and William H. Scott, recognizing their well-known contributions to the Cape Verdean community.

Vierra-Cardoza said the center would like to provide more scholarships that can help students throughout their time in college.

She added students can apply for the scholarships at any point in their college careers.

“The focus is on young people and helping them out and helping them to get the education because I know myself, I mean, I have my doctorate, but it was a difficult road,” Vierra-Cardoza said.

She said she hopes the students consider ways they can reach out and get involved in the community — even if it's not with the center itself.

Vierra-Cardoza added her father taught her from a young age the importance of civic engagement.

She said at the age of 16 he was including her in the social activities and civic organizations he was involved in and she did the same for her kids.

Vierra-Cardoza said she encourages students to find a way to become involved through their own passions.

“It's really important to give to your community,” she added.