Thanks to volunteers from Florida State University, Boys Town North Florida’s ART Town received some extra attention this year. The ART Town facility has been a gathering place for Boys Town youth and staff since 2016. Beginning fall 2020, Boys Town North Florida's ART Town facility transformed into a fully functioning school, expanding its programming to include supplemental tutoring through in-person and virtual volunteers. Now, reintegrated into an office and meeting space, it can be reserved for therapy sessions, workshops, and events.
This October, volunteers from “The Little Event”, Tallahassee’s largest one-day student-run service project, gave back to the community by weeding ART Town’s garden, raking the grounds, and pruning the plants that provide aesthetic charm to the site. The garden has the potential to provide beauty and sustenance to the residents who enjoy it.
Additionally, the Alliance of Black Women, one of Florida State University’s registered student organizations, spent several hours reorganizing and cleaning ART Town’s art room and library. Books that had spent several months in boxes were now displayed for all to see, art that had been sitting in corners were hung, and toys were thoroughly disinfected.
Ellyn Scanlan, newly hired Volunteer Coordinator oversaw the efforts. “I was thrilled to see so many volunteers devoted to revitalizing ART Town. All the supplies have been organized and labeled, there is a place for everything and everything is in its place. It makes ART Town a more enjoyable place to be for our youth and staff,” said Scanlan.
Our youth can now enjoy the library, read books, and play with board games without having to worry about interacting with a broken toy or a board game with missing pieces. ART Town boasts an ample “art room” where crafts can be created and art can be innovated. The art room provides a venue for art supplies and projects. Recently, it was the perfect place for Boys Town youth to create crafts with Florida State University football players.
ART Town remains a safe space for therapy sessions, fun art projects, and events. In the future it may be open to private events, and, with the help of volunteers, it will remain an organized and pristine place for residents and staff to enjoy.
“I was thrilled to see so many volunteers devoted to revitalizing ART Town. All the supplies have been organized and labeled, there is a place for everything and everything is in its place. It makes ART Town a more enjoyable place to be for our youth and staff.” -Ellyn Scanlan, Volunteer Coordinator.