On the evening of Tuesday, May 7th, nine people met in a small white building at Boles to discuss its future. Sitting on approximately 6 acres back off Highway 71 to the east, the Boles Community Center – once the Boles School cafeteria building – has a personal connection to these nine people and hundreds of others who attended school there until it closed in 1968. Most are unaware that the building is in danger of being lost.
Equipped with a full kitchen, handicapped accessibility, and tables and chairs to seat dozens, the building is available for rent for a fee that helps cover the cost of keeping it open and general upkeep. In the past, it has been a venue for small local music groups, birthday and anniversary parties, family reunions, and Bunco groups.
Anna Gayle House, Pat Ray and Gerri Biggs, and Tony and Vanessa Reed have done such a great job taking care of the facility and grounds, often with funding from their own pockets, that no one realized they need help. Unfortunately, this is unsustainable without additional assistance. The long-term goal is to preserve the building; however, the most immediate concern is funding for monthly bills for water, electricity, propane, and insurance.
Boles has lost its school building and gymnasium along with its small country stores. We need to come together as a community to preserve this piece of our heritage.
If you are interested, please attend our next meeting at the community center. We will be there at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4th.
