A group of 150 volunteers in Boston for a week-long convention descended on Bowdoin Street’s St. Peter’s Teen Center last Wednesday (June 4) for a one-day “blitz-build” renovation project. The Georgia-based non-profit AEC Cares, representing architects, engineers and construction professionals, donated the equivalent of $250,000 in renovations, including 75 gallons of paint, installed 5,000 sq. ft. of new flooring and updated lighting and electrical throughout. They also spent $50,000 on new furniture and paid Boston-based muralist Ryan Horton to create a piece in the center, which is run by Catholic Charities Boston.
The full reveal to 50 regular teen participants took place last Thursday.
“It felt like Christmas morning,” said Kelly Tuthill, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Boston. “It’s such a worthy program, but we never had enough in the budget to make it as worthy as I should be…The space being renovated is huge because it takes a great program and makes it more desirable. It’s an investment in the entire Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood.”
Tuthill said she got a call from “out of the blue” from AEC Cares.
“You get that call, and you wonder who is pranking you or what strings are attached,” she said.
But there were no strings attached. Representatives talked to the teens and got their input on what they wanted, then came up with plans and showed up last Wednesday to carry it out. They left a renovated music room, dance room, fitness room with new equipment, a new gaming space, gaming tables (foosball, pool, ping pong and air hockey), a movie zone and a sensory/inclusion friendly environment.
