The Residential Team of The Crossnore School is proud to announce the opening of their new Community Center. Located in the basement of Carolina Cottage, the Community Center has been completely refurbished as another gathering place for students and staff alike.
The Junior Membership Committee of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution granted $25,000 to The Crossnore School to fund the Community Center. Several volunteer groups were involved in the cleaning, painting, and assembling of furniture as the opening date approached. It all came together just as Andrew Florence, Director of Recreation, and Campus Pastor Logan Thrasher envisioned it would be – a place for kids and adults to build community together.
We wanted a space that is inviting and exciting, and one that goes beyond the borders of an individual cottage. – Andrew Florence
The space is filled with comfortable furniture and places to play. There is ping pong, pool, arcade games, video games, and a reading/quiet room.
Other recreation options on campus include outdoor rec fields, a fitness center, and gymnasium. But it’s been hard in the winter for kids to find a place to congregate, if they don’t want to play basketball. So the Community Center will likely become a very popular place.
After the initial Sneak Peek last week, Andrew expects to work with staff to figure out how to best utilize the space and to set a schedule for all to enjoy. This initial flexibility will allow the space to grow into what the kids want and will get the most benefit from.
While nights and weekends will largely be taken up by students, Andrew says the space will also be used for training, meetings, and staff enjoyment during the work and school day. It’s a great place for a work team to blow off a little steam together! And the kitchen and outdoor picnic area give the ability to host meals as well.
Andrew is also excited about additional collaboration between the Residential team, the Fine Arts Gallery, the Academy, and the campus Creativity Group to decorate the walls of the stairwell leading into the Community Center. This final step will bring the whole community together to make the Community Center a great place to be!
