Boys Town
For 25 years, Boys Town North Florida has provided services that positively and directly change the lives of severely at-risk children in the North Florida area. They provide children and families with services in their own homes, or, when necessary, family-like out-of-home services to children with special treatment needs.
St. Peter’s Student Ministry is very committed to the children at Boy’s Town. The children of Boy’s Town often come to The Story (Real Life) on Sundays. St. Peter’s goes to Boys Town to play basketball and have BBQs. We have been invited to participate in this year’s Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the campus of Boys Town. St. Peter’s will provide food and music, for the event. We will also be placing lights on the tree as the children of Boys Town decorate it with ornaments. Also look for the Angel Tree in the Parish Hall this Advent. You will find ornaments with gift requests from the children.
There are many opportunities to be involved in Boy’s Town. Please contact Jill Ashoo at jill@saint-peters.net.
Basketball court brings hoops of thrills to Boys Town
By Theresa Banks • SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE • November 20, 2008
Youth at Boys Town North Florida needed an area where they could play, be a part of a team and just have the opportunity to be kids. Three donors turned this dream of a recreational area into reality by donating their time and resources.
St. Peter's Anglican Church, A Materials Group and Tim Washington Concrete partnered together to construct a new basketball court for the youth and families of Boys Town North Florida.
"The basketball court was a great idea to collaborate on a project that gives back to the community and provides these children with constructive ways to spend their free time," said Tina Campbell , Parrish Life Coordinator at St. Peter's Anglican Church, who coordinated the project.
A Materials Group and Tim Washington Concrete extended the court to a full size and repaired the cracks in the remaining half court's foundation. The refurbishment included brand new backboards, rims, poles and basketballs to go along with the new playing surface, donated by St. Peter's Anglican Church. Youth were involved by painting the court a bright Boys Town blue, to make it their own.
"This was a rewarding endeavor that A Material Group was proud to contribute to," said Raleigh Faust , A Materials Group Account Manager. "We're so happy we could keep the dream alive for these kids and hopefully inspire them to persevere and achieve their life goals."
The new court will provide an essential outlet for youth to release any excess energy and will encourage physical fitness. Most importantly, this new recreational area will help youth gain confidence, by encouraging less motivated and aggressive children to become more active and involved in safe extracurricular activities.
"We're very thankful for the new court," said Tryton , a Boys Town North Florida youth. "We all shoot hoops on the court everyday and can't wait to have a tournament against the other homes."
To honor the contributions of these donors, Boys Town North Florida will recognize them with a dedication ceremony, in which memorial benches will be placed on both sides of the court.
Boys Town Rooms Makeover
By Nic Corbett • DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER • October 26, 2008
At least one of the rooms at a Tallahassee group home for boys was in dire need of a makeover — a boy who used to live there punched holes in the wall and slammed the door every time he got mad.
That's why the boys who live at the Girls and Boys Town treatment family home were happy to hear that St. Peter's Anglican Church was teaming up with Women in Construction for an "extreme room makeover" of the home's four bedrooms. The project happened to coincide Saturday with Make A Difference Day, a national day of service sponsored by USA WEEKEND magazine .
Dena Strickland, development director of Girls and Boys Town of North Florida, said her organization works with the boys to help them overcome behavioral problems and manage their anger. On average, the children have lived in seven foster or group homes before arriving at a Boys Town home.
"They come with so much hurt and agression inside," she said.
Each of the boys chose a color scheme, with the help of a church parishioner who has experience in interior design, said Tina Campbell, who helped organize the project. They also got their pick of stylish desk lamps, pen holders and name-brand bedding. The church used money from a Valentine's Day fundraiser to purchase the items. More than 20 volunteers helped the boys by moving boxes, installing blinds, painting walls and other services.
A local company, Infinity Software, initiated the makeover project a year and a half ago and has now done two of the five treatment family homes on the Girls and Boys Town's 100-acre campus on Hollyhock Hill, off Hartsfield Road. About six children live in each home with a married couple called "family teachers."
The church's parishioners wanted to do it after they heard the boys were planning to forgo the makeover so the campus basketball court could be updated and expanded, Campbell said.
"We think it was so great that these kids were willing to give this up for the sake of the community," she said.
The boys, who are between the ages of 10 and 18, are about a year behind in school and have been abused, abandoned or neglected. The goal is to teach them life skills, family traditions and to build relationships so they can be prepared once they're on their own, said the organization's CEO Ken Bender.
"This is kind of the last step, their last chance," Bender said. "They have only a few years to develop what they've been deprived of for many years."
Christmas Tree Lightings, 2006 and 2007
The Annual Lighting Of The Christmas Tree at Boys Town North Florida took place on December 12th 2007 and was sponsored by St. Peter's!
December 14, 2006
Just thinking about Christmas makes you feel cooler, doesn’t it? St. Peter’s sponsored the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony for Father Flanagan Boys Town North Florida. See photo gallery below.
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Tom Jones, Tina Campbell |
Tina Campbell and |
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Fr. Eric rounding |
Dena Strickland |
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Fr. Eric and Cindy Sullivan |
Margo Hall, Tina Campbell |
