The effort to improve one Madison community continues Saturday, as residents break ground to begin building up their neighborhood.
The Boys and Girls Club of Dane County hosted a community celebration as the organization announced the construction of a new Boys and Girls Club Family Center for the Allied Drive neighborhood.
The move marks a new phase in the efforts of Allied community members, who seek to change the behaviors, attitudes, and lives of Allied residents.
Diane Shinall from the Madison Apprenticeship Program says, "Not just boys and girls, but also families. So that includes everyone cuz sometimes if you tap into the children and don't work with the adults, you still have issues."
Mary Burke is president of the Boys and Girls Club. "The dreams of our kids will only come true if we make even more changes. First of all, we really have to put aside our biases, our preconceived notions based on what has been, and focus on what can be."
The new family center's design is said to take the shape of the Boys and Girls Club logo, with two hands embracing. It will hold administration offices, classrooms, and a multi–purpose room.
