A Dream Castle Built on Hope
The 2012 Building on Hope community project
Like most days, the community room at Girls Inc. on Manchester's West Side was full of little girls. This morning the room, accustomed to non-stop chatter, giggles and the occasional shriek, grew quiet — well, quieter at least — as paper plates with daubs of paint were passed around to their tables. Soon the girls were intent on the task at hand with their imaginations focused like sunlight through a lens, burning their visions onto paper with brush strokes of tempera in bright primary colors.
Their assignment was to re-imagine their building — to paint their "dream version" of the Girls Inc. Manchester facility.
One brush full of blue paint put waves on a giant swimming pool that filled the entire building, another brush dripping green traced a slide that loop-de-looped through different rooms into a hot tub. Still another used careful strokes to reshape the building into a giant likeness of Gary the Snail from "Spongebob Squarepants." When the paintings were finally hung to admire, the most common vision of the new Girls Inc. building was one of a castle on a hill, with turrets and drawbridge — a symbol of strength and security, even if the walls were pink and the spires were purple.
Cathy Duffy Cullity, executive director of Girls Inc. NH, had slightly more conservative dreams. She just wanted the building to look more attractive from the road. The 27-year-old former church had a drab look that she thought was off-putting and didn't live up to the bright home-like environment they were trying to create inside with programs and individual attention given to the 100-or-so girls they hosted every day.
She had even written a grant application just to have a front porch and a trellis attached, "so it wouldn't look so institutional," says Cullity.
Last summer she went for a long shot. She had heard about a program called Building on Hope that rallies the building and remodeling community to restore and redesign spaces for non-profit groups like hers.
Even after her application was approved, though she was thrilled, her expectations were in check.
She knew that Building on Hope had redesigned a house on Mammoth Rd. for an Easter Seals NH home for boys just two years prior. Hundreds of companies and individuals had volunteered materials, time and money and it was likely that everyone was still a little tapped out. But she was hopeful.
Her hopes lifted more when the process began.
Early each Friday morning through the months of April and May, a group of builders and designers met in that common room where the girls had painted their dreams. The volunteers seemed so confident and capable, sipping coffee when gathered around the big, round, paint-splattered tables. They swapped war stories and held forth on the challenges before them, sounding like knights, lords and ladies of court preparing for a great quest. Cullity wondered if they really knew what they were getting into with an old building full of unknowns and with a construction window of just about two weeks before a public "reveal" and a big party.
"Suppose you don't finish on time?" she suggested, meekly, to the group. "Then WE pack up and go home," said one burly contractor. Then he laughed and the whole room laughed.
Then Cullity laughed too.
Laughter is a valuable resource at Girls Inc. The organization deals with so many issues that aren't laughing matters.
Cullity remembers one time they served the girls some Chinese food and one opened up her fortune cookie and exclaimed, "It says my life is going to get better!" This girl had been living in an abusive environment and spent time locked in a closet. "She really needed that message and we work to reinforce those messages," says Cullity.
Kelly Hurtado, Manchester regional director for Girls Inc., says they often get calls from police looking for runaways from such situations "… because the cops know that this is where the girls would go," she says.
And as much as the program is for the girls, it's not limited to them. "Moms come and process their problems with us," says Hurtado. Of course, many of the parents are young too. And sometimes the caregiver in need of some counsel is a single dad.
The weeks leading up to the reveal were full of twists and cliffhangers that were chronicled by notes e-blasted to all the volunteers: materials desperately needed, skilled laborers required for a tight deadline. Each crisis was met and averted. The night before the reveal the final message was blasted: an invitation to go out for some beers and celebrate.
The skies were blue and clear on the day of the party. Food, drink and the country-rock sounds of the Ryan Brooks Kelly band greeted families and volunteers as they arrived. The girls, in matching bright red Girls Inc. T-shirts, were escorted inside to see their new home away from home. Dashing from room to room, many with tears on their faces, their reaction was one of amazement. "It's like they took a new building from somewhere else and just dropped it here," said one.
Later the girls gathered in the newly landscaped rear of the building to stand together in a small brick amphitheater and sing a song written for the occasion.
Accompanied by local folksinger Mari Winings, to the tune of "Home on the Range," the girls sang:
Though life can be great in the old Granite State,
even here sometimes lives fall apart.
But people who care
can be found everywhere,
they're just looking
for someplace to start.
Start Building on Hope
And call up a neighbor or two.
Just come up with a plan
And then ask for a hand
And you'll find out
How much you can do.
After the party one parent said, "I didn't know how bad this place looked until I saw the reveal." Another said, "We were praying all the time the building was taking place." Some reported their daughters were so excited that they couldn't sleep. Neighbors were pleased as well. Not just because of the attractive new grounds but because Building on Hope chose a project on the city's West Side. They didn't think anyone cared.
The next weeks were full of similar reports as the scope of the project dawned on everyone.
The community room now has a suspended TV projector and sound system that can fill the wall with video images and the whole room with music. "The kids came in here and just started screaming," says Hurtado. "They just love to dance."
On the far wall is a chalkboard with a place for the girls to write their dreams. Among the first dreams chalked up were: "to be a unicorn," "to be a ballerina" and "to fly." The large, shabby plastic table rounds where the contractors met have been replaced with modular folding desk tables and little plush cubicles to provide some personal space.
A cramped bathroom has been transformed into a well-lit space with ornamental tile, more than enough sinks and toilets and — most thrilling of all to the girls — giant mirrors for everyone.
The heart of the facility had always been the kitchen and dining area where the girls were served meals, often with their parents. They also learned cooking skills here, and Girls Inc. generates some revenue by catering for other organizations, but it had always felt cramped and, some said, claustrophobic. With the addition of bright café tiles and by opening up the kitchen to the dining room, the place now has the feel of a small bistro with counter seating where the girls can chat with kitchen staff.
Hurtado says, "The girls sit at their new tables like little families. There's less drama and they sit and talk longer. The open kitchen helps the kids with their cooking classes. Parents come by and join the girls for dinner and then stay to dance."
Even the small things were treated with special care. The coat room area, which could have been a mere afterthought, was given a multi-color décor with lots of designer touches. What could be a place to dump boots and bags is now a destination.
"I'm coat hook number 39!" declared one girl upon her first visit.
The new library is Cullity's favorite space. It opens out onto an airy wooden front porch with a high trellis. She laughs to recall this was all she was really expecting to get when she began to dream about improvements.
That porch now leads to the new playground with a climbing wall, slide and plenty of room for the younger girls to play. "The girls couldn't believe it was possible," she says, "but they jumped right in. Now they want us to add some monkey bars."
The older girls have claimed their own outdoor turf: the little amphitheater that the landscapers incorporated.
"It's all beautiful," says Cullity, but she notes that the stuff you can't see was the most expensive in terms of time and materials donated: the roof, air conditioning, wiring and improvements in the kitchen.
While looking back over the process and the results, Cullity is asked, "Any surprises?" She replies with her huge trademark smile, "The whole thing was a surprise. I couldn't even imagine it looking like this. I didn't have the creative vision."
But her creative vision is quite substantial. Although she swears this project is the greatest thing to ever happen to Girls Inc. in her 15 years of service, she has her eye on purchasing some property in Nashua where they are currently leasing space. The transient Girls Inc. in Concord needs a real permanent home, she says. And the property on Varney Street right next door to the newly remodeled facility is up for sale and would be a great place for offices and more programs.
She sees the whole organization in need of a "Building on Hope-style" upgrade. "Once you put in something nice, you have to fix up the whole house," she says. Hurtado puts it more simply: "Cathy wants to buy everything for the girls."
Cullity says she took cards and contact information from everyone who worked on the West Side facility. Her plan is to promote them to other non-profits needing work and to hire them to come and help rebuild the Nashua site once they complete a $2 million campaign for the necessary funds. "I want to get the gang back together," she says.
Meanwhile, the Girls Inc. facility on Varney Street stands as a testament to what can be done when caring people unite to aid a good cause. The sound of happy girls playing, learning, creating and becoming, as the Girls Inc. motto declares, "Strong, Smart and Bold," can be heard from the streets.
And if you look at the new building from just a short distance and use just a sprinkling of imagination, it actually looks like a dream castle on a hill.
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The Building
A 27-year-old former church with a bad roof, no air conditioning and sorely in need of major repair, renovation and cosmetic work is now a modern home-away-from-home for 100 girls.
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The Entry
An uninspiring welcome to the building has been transformed into a playful space that lifts spirits.
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Office
A storage closet with unfinished concrete and exposed pipes is now a sunny and efficient workspace.
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Library
A comfy space designed to encourage curiosity, imagination and resourcefulness.
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Reception and Stairway
With original art, bright colors and a skylight, a dank space has been transformed into an uplifting experience.
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Community Room
"Institutional" was a polite description for the former state of this room, now filled with versatile seating and partitions, brand new A/V setup and lots of personal touches.
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Kitchen and Café
Low-ceilinged and a bit claustrophobic, the kitchen and café space was a major challenge. By opening the kitchen to a cheerily decorated and furnished dining area, both are made more inviting.
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Media Room
Designed to be conducive to high-tech learning, this room practically vibrates with youthful energy and enthusiasm.
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Bathrooms
Most welcome was the brand-new first-floor bathroom and a complete transformation of the second-floor "girls' room" with new windows, accent tile, flooring and giant mirrors.
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Coat Room
What could have been just an afterthought, the coat room is now vibrant, fun and functional and offers a touch of home to each girl.
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The Grounds
A deteriorating front walk and retaining walls with a play area confined to raw pavement has blossomed into a playground and amphitheater amidst lovely landscaping.
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“You hear all the time about dreams coming true, but you never really believe it could happen to you. We have imagined many times what it would be like to have the resources to improve our facility on Varney Street and make it worthy of the 100 girls who burst through our doors each day. Thanks to Building on Hope, it will soon look like the inviting, warm, and friendly place that it is!” -Cathy Duffy Cullity, CEO of Girls Inc. of New Hampshire
Below is a list of the designers and principle building partners on the building, grounds and individual rooms of the Manchester Girls Inc. facility.
The Building
Designed by: Warrenstreet Architects
Building Partners
American Generations Plumbing & Heating
The Cogswell Trust
Connolly Electric
(603) 622-4786
Design Day Mechanical
(603) 778-6453
Distinctive Theater Installations
(603) 785-7312
Door Trades Installers
(603) 753-4899
Electrical Contractors Business Association
Granite State Acoustical
(603) 668-0150
Jacques Surpenant
John C. Pratt Co.
(603) 332-0246
Joseph Labrie Plumbing & Heating
(603) 886-7342
Jules and Jules
K&L Insulation Co.
L&B Construction and Management
Lavallee Brensinger Architects
Levasseur Electrical
(603) 472-3583
Lord Acoustical
Milestone Engineering & Construction
McPhail Roofing
(603) 234-2386
Nash Construction
(603) 882-2702
Naughton & Son Recycling, Inc.
(603) 938-2282
Norton Phelps Electrical
(603) 973-1469
NPR Construction
(603) 231-0578
Rancourt Enterprises
(603) 883-3769
The Grounds
Designed by: TF Moran, Inc.
Keim Landscape Consulting
Pichette Brothers Construction
(603) 625-6756
Building Partners:
Bickford's Landscape & Design
(603) 279-8700
Blue Ribbon Recreational Services
Boisvert Brothers Tree Service
Dick Murphy
Mike Rabbitt
Moses Enterprise
(603) 798-5422
NH Landscaping
Skip McKean Transport
(603) 428-3333
Unilock
Community Room
Designed by: Brie Marie Interiors
Building Partners:
Distinctive Theater installations
(603) 785-7312
Electrical Contractors Business Assoc.
Looking Good Painting
(603) 463-5635
Luke's Carpentry
Pinta Accoustics
Puffin Interiors
(603) 472-5923
Reception and Stair
Designed by: KJ Designs
Building Partners:
The Bechards
The Bowdins
Brenda Wiley
The Carpenters
Electrical Contractors Business Association
Empire Sheet Metal
(603) 622-4439
Granite State Acoustical
(603) 668-0150
Jacques Surprenant
The Judges
JMA Flooring
(207) 228-8963
Jules, Jules and Jacques
Looking Good Painting
(603) 463-5635
Lord Acoustical
Nancy Carlisle Interior Planting
The Ouellettes
Sherwin Williams #5781
Valley St., Manchester, (603) 623-3576
Stuart Porter Painting
Kitchen and Café
Designed by: Mariposa Interior Design
Building Partners:
Elect. Contractors Bldrs. Assoc.
Empire Sheet Metal
(603) 622-4439
Gorman Thomas, Inc.
(603) 641-6055
Granite State Acoustical
(603) 668-0150
HLD Flooring
Ironrock
Jules, Jules and Jacques
K&L Insulation Company
Looking Good Painting
(603) 463-5635
Lord Acoustical
Lowe's of Bedford
222 S. River Rd., Bedford, (603) 518-9900
Paul Mansback
Noonan Brothers Painting
(603) 621-9402
Ray's Refrigeration
(603) 623-2994
Top Notch Painting
(603) 226-2264
Bathrooms
Designed by: NH Tile II
Ellie Davis
Building Partners:
Greg Bibaud
Mike Corriveau
Electrical Contractors Business Association
Granite State Acoustical
(603) 668-0150
Lord Acoustical
Lowe's of Bedford
222 S. River Rd., Bedford, (603) 518-9900
Quality Tile
(603) 623-2104
Entry
Designed by: JRL Studio, (603) 622-9653
Building Partners:
Electrical Contractors Business Association
Granite State Acoustical
(603) 668-0150
Jacques Suprenant
Jules and Jules
Looking Good Painting
(603) 463-5635
Lord Acoustical
New Hampshire Reupholstery
(603) 229-0204
Library
Designed by: Lyne V Interiors
Building Partners:
Ilene Bryson
Distinctive Theater installations
(603) 785-7312
Electrical Contractors Business Association
Sara Freeman
Goedecke Flooring & Design Center
Granite State Acoustical
(603) 668-0150
J.A. Woods Interior Design, LLC
Jacques Suprenant
Janine Jobin-Barnes
Jules, and Jules
Looking Good Painting
(603) 463-5635
Lord Acoustical
Loretta's Cosmatique
(603) 483-2174
Lucie Jobin
Rachelle Ghanem Lowe
Joyceline Raho
Dana Strafford
Amelia Toural
Computer Room
Designed by:
L. Newman Associates / Paul Mansback, Inc.
Building Partners:
Esther Chaffee
Matt Conlin
Distinctive Theater installations
(603) 785-7312
Darlene Friedman
Electrical Contractors Business Association
Joe Dube
Jules, Jules and Jacques
Granite State Acoustical
(603) 668-0150
Vivian Hodges
Cesar Huezo
George Lemire
Looking Good Painting
(603) 463-5635
Paul Mansback
Mavrikis Upholstery
(603) 883-6868
Chris McCall
John McCall
Melvin Interior Finishes, Inc.
(603) 642-7901
Craig Mortensen
Oscar Pevez
Norton Phelps
Stuart Porter
Lauren Shakra
Office
Designed by: Lavender & Lotus Interior Design
Building Partners:
Melissa Amorim
BSR Services
(603) 497-8192
Electrical Contractors Business Association
Granite State Acoustical
(603) 668-0150
Jacques Suprenant
Jules and Jules
Looking Good Painting
(603) 463-5635
Lord Acoustical
Coat Room
Designed by: Suzanne D'Amato Design, LLC
Building Partners:
Danielle Boucher
Electrical Contractors Business Assoc.
Gloria Fortin MacNeil
Dr. and Mrs. Patrick Hickle
Kearns & Co. Architectural Building Products
Looking Good Painting
(603) 463-5635
Melvin Interior Finishes, LLC
(603) 878-4965
P.J. Currier Lumber Company, Inc.
Meaghan Ryan
Suzanne D'Amato Design, LLC
Top Notch Painting
(603) 226-2264
(NOTE: This was a huge and complex project and we may have missed some participants. Please notify Clark Van Der Beken at Silvertech of any omissions: clark.vanderbeken@silvertech.com)
