| 2022 Annual Tree Lighting | https://www.boystown.org/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/Pages/2022-Annual-Tree-Lighting.aspx | 2022 Annual Tree Lighting | <p>Those who were able to join us can attest that our Annual Tree Lighting on December 18<sup>th</sup> was truly magical! The amazing event included a live performance by the First Take Choir, along with the sharing of stories from our youth about their experience at Boys Town and what it means to them. The program ended with a grand entrance from Santa riding atop a fire truck. The evening was incredible and alive with the spirit of holiday enchantment. <br><br>The campus looked awesome, thanks to our maintenance staff and our WONDERFUL Home Sponsors: Beers & Gordon, P.A., F3, Bella and Grace Boutique, Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa and Infrastructure Site Development, LLC, who helped design and decorate with our Boys Town Residential Families. We are so very thankful for the community's support, and the opportunity to present this lighted wonderland for all to enjoy! And there was snow (Florida-style) in a few spots, where the kiddos had a blast playing. And DJ Breeze helped set the stage with Christmas music, as all our friends toured the campus.<br><br>As an added bonus this year, we also provided mouth-watering foods and sweet treats for our staff and guests, thanks to the kindness and support of our Food Sponsors. We want to extend our sincere gratitude to Carrabba's Italian Grill, Outback Steakhouse, Metro Diner, Rock & Brews and The Townhouse Restaurant for making the event so delicious! Your service and generosity to the community is truly appreciated!<br><br>We extend our warmest thanks to those who came and shared in this special holiday time for our youth and families. Our hearts also are overwhelmed with gratitude to those who made donations to Boys Town Central Florida. All donations are so appreciated. <a href="https://click.helpkids.boystown.org/?qs=3393b052d9efe117fcc8a8676cfe9fcf1ead5dbd024cce89d042d45061c871cc9447e818c4ab720538a14f41c03af435b9c5a90438362c6e">There is still time, if you would like to make a gift.</a><br><br>Special thanks to Oviedo Fire & Police Department, First Take Choir, Hagerty High School JROTC Color Guard, Pastor Andy Searles, Lake Mary Church, The Gordon Family, Boys Town Board of Directors, and our Boys Town Staff! We wish you all the happiest of holidays!<br><br><strong>*The degree of happiness and joy that we feel is determined largely by the amount of joy and happiness we bring to the hearts of others., Father Flanagan, 1946*</strong><br><br>With much gratitude, <br>Laurie Stern <br><br>P.S. If you would like to connect with us and hear more about being involved year-round, please email Melissa at <a href="mailto:support.boystown.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2541&mfc_pref=T&2541.donation=form1&s_src=sfmc_cefla&s_subsrc=email_cefla_enews?subject=">melissa.parsons@boystown.org</a>. You are helping shape the future for our children!<br></p> | 2023-01-03T06:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Christmas Lights" src="/locations/central-florida/PublishingImages/christmas-lights.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | | text/html; charset=utf-8
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| A Golden Voice and a Heart to Serve – We Will Miss You, Arnie Nussbaum | https://www.boystown.org/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/Pages/A-Golden-Voice-and-a-Heart-to-Serve-We-Will-Miss-You-Arnie-Nussbaum.aspx | A Golden Voice and a Heart to Serve – We Will Miss You, Arnie Nussbaum | <p></p><p>With heavy hearts, Boys Town of Central Florida announces the passing of our friend and faithful advocate, Arnie Lee Nussbaum. Arnie and his golden voice were well known in Oviedo and much of Central Florida, where he was actively involved doing voice-over work and served as the emcee for countless non-profit live events. </p><p>Arnie was well respected in our Central Florida Community and had built a reputation for advocating for many local non-profits. The Boys Town team will always admire Arnie's passion and zeal for helping others and his tireless work with charities that benefit our community. </p><p>We extend our heartfelt thanks to Arnie for his legacy of generosity and so appreciate the many years he served as an advocate for Boys Town's programs and services, in addition to being our Annual Candy Cane 5K emcee for the past several years. </p><p>Arnie will be greatly missed, not only at Boys Town, but throughout our community, but we remain eternally grateful for his inspiration and his spirit of service that will always be with us. </p><p> “Love for one's fellowmen-love for his welfare, wishing him well, happy with his good fortune, mindful of his rights, this is the love which cement a God-like humanity together and makes of it one family in heart and mind." Father Flanagan, 1937<br></p><p></p> | 2022-11-09T06:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Arnie Nussbaum" src="/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/PublishingImages/Arnie-1.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | | text/html; charset=utf-8
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| New this Fall, Boys Town Central Florida Volunteer Development Committee | https://www.boystown.org/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/Pages/New-this-Fall-Boys-Town-Central-Florida-Volunteer-Development-Committee.aspx | New this Fall, Boys Town Central Florida Volunteer Development Committee | <p>New this fall, Boys Town Central Florida would like to extend volunteer committee opportunities to anyone interested in becoming more involved our year-round events and activities. We are looking for members of the community who are interested in donating their time and talents to help with planning, coordinating, marketing, and executing our events and large activities on campus. Here are some of the opportunities…</p><h3>Planning assistance is needed with:</h3><ul><li>Candy Cane 5K Run 2022 and Pre-planning for 2023</li><li>Christmas Tree Lighting 2022 and Pre-planning for 2023</li><li>Golf Tournament 2023<br></li><li>Tutoring and After School Activities/Mentoring for the Kids</li><li>Spring, Summer and Winter Break Activities for the Kids</li></ul><h3>How can I get involved?</h3><p>Volunteer opportunities are available year-round at our Oviedo campus with some very special things planned for December! As we prepare for our Christmas Tree Lighting, we invite you to help provide a little magic for our youth and their Family-Teachers, here on campus. You can help spread some holiday cheer by:</p><ul><li>Organizing a Toy Drive, for our middle and high school boys and girls</li><li>Donating décor or helping to decorate the campus for the Christmas Holiday</li><li>Enlisting friends and family to donate by providing some of the needs <a href="/locations/central-florida/programs/Documents/Central%20FL%20Volunteer%20Opportunities.pdf">listed here</a><br></li><li>Asking a local business to sponsor our Annual Christmas Tree Lighting</li></ul><p>Reach out to <a href="mailto:Melissa.Parsons@boystown.org">Melissa.Parsons@boystown.org</a> for more information. We are truly thankful for all your support!<br><br></p> | 2022-11-09T06:00:00Z | News | | | text/html; charset=utf-8
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| Hurricane Ian Update: The Central Florida Campus Weathered the Storm! | https://www.boystown.org/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/Pages/Hurricane-Ian-Update-The-Central-Florida-Campus-Weathered-the-Storm.aspx | Hurricane Ian Update: The Central Florida Campus Weathered the Storm! | <p></p><p>Here in Florida, we have learned that when a damaging hurricane is predicted, you must immediately spring into action. With the threat of Hurricane Ian looming large, that is exactly what our campus staff did, working around the clock to ensure that the grounds were prepped, supplies were stocked and generators were at the ready. </p><p>A HUGE and HEARTFELT thank you to all the members of our staff who stayed overnights and slept on air mattresses with limited power available to ensure that our youth were safe and well cared for throughout the storm and the days that followed. An extra-special thank you to our local Boys Town Heroes including our Maintenance Team, our Intervention and Assessment Shelter Team and four sets of our Family-Teachers who remained on campus keeping everyone occupied, engaged and most importantly, safe. WE LOVE YOU! <br></p><p>We are extremely thankful to be members of such a resilient community that has been working together since Hurricane Ian hit to help our neighbors who have been affected. As a Central Florida community partner, we continue to keep those impacted in our thoughts and prayers and look for opportunities where we can link arms and help.<br></p><p></p> | 2022-11-09T06:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Members of the Central Florida Staff" src="/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/PublishingImages/20221003_135053.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | | text/html; charset=utf-8
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| Letter from the Executive Director, Laurie Stern | https://www.boystown.org/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/Pages/Letter-from-the-Executive-Director-Laurie-Stern.aspx | Letter from the Executive Director, Laurie Stern | <p></p><p>It's hard to believe summer is over and the end of the year is upon us. It has been such an incredibly productive middle of the year. </p><p>Our summer was action packed, just how we like it. We are thankful to all the community partners who helped provide tickets, event admissions and opportunities for our youth to take part in a variety of activities, helping them create positive memories which are so important for our Boys Town youth. Our Family-Teachers, staff and partners helped equip our girls and boys with all the back-to-school essentials needed and we celebrated summer's end with a pizza party and prayer for a great fall semester!</p><p>Fall has brought a lot of smiles to the youth on campus. Many are taking part in homecoming actives, fall sports that include football games and after-school and weekend intermural sports like basketball. We give big kudos to our Family-Teachers who organize the busy schedules of the 4-6 kids residing under their roofs. They shuttle children and embrace the leisure activities that are important to each child, and we are so thankful for their hearts to serve all the children!</p><p>Next time you visit our campus (please schedule a tour today; we would love to host you), you may not recognize it! We have painted our administrative office, replaced worn carpet in the Intervention and Assessment Center and had some generous community patterners take part in a campus beautification project – and we have other important projects in the pipeline. We know if the campus looks great, youth and staff will feel this too! Our staff work hard to create a family-centered approach, and we are working hard to ensure the environment looks this way as well. Our 50+ acre campus is a blessing, and we always welcome our generous community partners to help us keep our campus looking great. </p><p>As the year comes to an end, we are embarking on our busiest season – and we hope you will be a part of it all! We have many fun Halloween festivities planned. We look forward creating Thanksgiving traditions in each Family Home. And celebrating Christmas together with our staff, youth and community partners is always a joyous, meaningful time. Boys Town is truly a community partnership, and we are so thankful for all of those who donate items, time and financial gifts to help our campus thrive and allow us to grow our programs that help heal children and strengthen families all over Central Florida! </p><p>Cheerfully, </p><p> <img src="/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/PublishingImages/signature.jpg" alt="Laurie's Signature" style="margin:5px;" /><br></p><p>Laurie Stern, MPA<br>Executive Director <br> <br></p><p>P.S. We hope to see you at the Candy Cane 5K Run on December 10<sup>th</sup> or the Christmas Tree Lighting on December 18<sup>th</sup>!<br><br></p> | 2022-11-09T06:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Laurie Stern" src="/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/PublishingImages/Laurie-Stern.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | | text/html; charset=utf-8
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| Central Florida Welcomes Three New Board Members | https://www.boystown.org/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/Pages/Central-Florida-Welcomes-Three-New-Board-Members.aspx | Central Florida Welcomes Three New Board Members | <p>Boys Town Central Florida is pleased to announce that three new members have joined our Board of Directors.<br></p><p>
<img src="/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/PublishingImages/Photo---Weathers.jpg" alt="Jerri Weathers" class="ms-rtePosition-1" style="margin:0px 5px;width:220px;height:320px;padding-right:8px;" />My name is <strong>Jerri Weathers</strong>, and I am the Director of Juvenile Justice at the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. I have been at the Sheriff's Office for the past 18 years and have always served our juvenile population. The first 16 and ½ years at the Sheriff's Office, I served in the Division of Child Protective Services as a Child Protective Investigator, Judicial Child Protective Investigator, Child Protective Investigations Supervisor, and then Investigations Operations Manager. For the last 1 and ½ years, after a promotion to the Director of the Juvenile Justice Division, I have served our Juvenile Assessment Center, Juvenile Detention Center, Juvenile Enforcement Center, and our Prosecution Alternatives for Youth program. I serve because I strongly believe in being a voice for children and providing them every opportunity for a successful future. I could not be prouder of the incredibly talented and passionate individuals who make up the Juvenile Justice Division and the efforts they make each day to guide our youth to a brighter path for the future.</p><br><p>
<img src="/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/PublishingImages/IMG_5636.jpg" alt="Jessica Ciurzynski " class="ms-rtePosition-1" style="margin:0px 5px;width:220px;height:220px;padding-right:8px;" /><strong><em>“If you want something done, ask a working mom" - Victoria Goddard, Founder/COO of M PAUL.</em></strong></p><p><strong>Jessica Ciurzynski</strong> often reflects on this classic quote that was constantly recited to her by M Paul's late founder, Victoria Goddard. These words still hold true. While juggling the life that most working moms feel, balance between work and raising a family, Jessica does so with grit and grace. In this industry, it's not always a “social norm" or easy to do. Being a force of a woman running a construction company, she has had to push outside of the boundaries, and by doing so, she has successfully doubled the size of the company every year since her beginnings in 2013. She has continued this trend since taking over as President in 2020.</p><p>Jessica has two motivators in life: children and construction. </p><p>As a longtime activist of Boys Town Central Florida, joining the board was the perfect opportunity for her two forces to join together. Jessica has been involved in developing a direct connection program for the kids to learn about opportunities in the construction industry, as well as educational avenues in vocational schooling. The goal is to introduce local subcontractors to the kids from Boys Town in the hope of giving them an opportunity to learn skills for their futures. Jessica wants to show the kids that we see value in them.</p><p>
<img src="/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/PublishingImages/Farrow_KerryAnn_photo.jpg" alt="Kerry-Ann Farrow" class="ms-rtePosition-1" style="margin:0px 5px;width:220px;height:311px;padding-right:8px;" /><strong>Kerry-Ann Farrow</strong> is a Director of Nursing at AdventHealth. She has been in the nursing profession for over 25 years and loves to serve her patients, team members and community. Kerry-Ann wants to meaningfully contribute to the Board and is passionate about the philosophy and services provided by Boys Town Central Florida.<br><br><br></p> | 2022-11-09T06:00:00Z | News | | | text/html; charset=utf-8
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| Meet Our New Development Director: Melissa Parsons | https://www.boystown.org/locations/central-florida/news-and-events/Pages/Meet-Our-New-Development-Director.aspx | Meet Our New Development Director: Melissa Parsons | <p><span style="background-color:transparent;">M</span><span style="background-color:transparent;">elissa</span><span style="background-color:transparent;"> comes to Boys Town Central Florida with over 15 years of non-profit experience working with the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and, most recently, Campus Crusade for Christ. Her experience has been heavily focused on peer-to-peer fundraising through events, building strong committees and leveraging local relationships to drive revenue and deeply engage corporations to support organizations that matter to them. </span><br></p><p>Melissa lives in Lake Nona with her husband and two children, where they are very involved in their church. She loves to run, be outdoors and likes to think she has a bit of a green thumb. Melissa is most passionate about youth, volunteering to further impact her community, connecting people and inspiring change.<br></p> | 2022-09-02T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Melissa Parsons" src="/locations/louisiana/PublishingImages/Melissa-Parsons.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | | text/html; charset=utf-8
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