‘Gates That Open’ Opens Gates for Boys Town North Florida

Gates That Open (GTO), a Tallahassee business that manufactures automatic gate openers, is opening a lot more than gates these days. They’re opening young minds to possibilities and preparing them for a bright future.

Some of those young minds were Boys Town North Florida youth, who got a taste of the “real world” recently when they had the opportunity to attend “Take Your Child to Work Day” with mentors from Gates That Open. From the manufacturing of the product, to marketing the product, the youth got to see every facet of the organization, all while having fun along the way. 

Most importantly though, it was an opportunity for the youth to dream about their future and understand the pride in hard work, according to Joe Kelley, President of GTO and Boys Town North Florida board member.  

“Our children absolutely loved it,” said Dena Strickland, Boys Town North Florida Development Director. “They were exposed to several occupations within the organization which showed them how each person’s role fits into the big picture. It was a great learning experience for them.” 

For the team at GTO, it was just as rewarding. “Having the opportunity to bring Boys Town children to GTO has once again been a blessing for my team,” said Kelley. “We have all been influenced by mentors in our lives. When we have the opportunity to look into the eyes of children that have had so many unfortunate things happen to them, we are inspired to show them how much we care and believe in them.”