New Tolleston Boys & Girls Club Center to get makeover from local businesses and community

GARY | Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), The Times Media Company and several local organizations are joining Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana in taking the first step to make the John Will Anderson Boys & Girls Club/Community Center - Tolleston Project a reality.

On December 14, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana acquired the Gary Community School Corporation's former 194,000 square foot Tolleston Junior/High School with the intent of rebuilding this facility into state-of-the-art Boys & Girls Club/Community Center for Lake County, IN - to be completed in 2013.

The Clean Sweep Initiative, led by NIPSCO and The Times Media Co., is a community effort encouraging volunteers to be a part of this historic event by cleaning the building before the demolition and construction of this Club/Community center begins.

WHAT: Clean Sweep Initiative is a large-scale volunteer and community effort to prepare the former Tolleston Junior/High School for its reconstruction into a state-of-the-art Boys & Girls Club/Community Center.

WHEN: 2-Day Clean Sweep Initiative:                                               Day 1 - Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.                             Day 2 (Media Invited) - Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

WHERE: Former Tolleston Junior/High School, 2700 West 19th Avenue, Gary, IN

Media Interviews: President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana, Lincoln D. Ellis, Campaign Chair, Bill Masterson, Jr, NIPSCO Manager of Communications and Community Relations, Eddie Melton

Additional support for the cleanup event, ranging from donations to volunteers, includes; NIPSCO, The Times, Majestic Star Casino, Horseshoe Casino, City of Gary, Skillman Construction, Design Organization, Urban League of Northwest Indiana Young Professionals, BP, Embassies of Christ, Highland Target, and Real Life Church in Portage.

On-site Media contact is NIPSCO Director of Communications Nick Meyer 219-313-0000 or contact Boys and Girls Club VP of Development and Marketing Alison Martin at 219-881-1060, extension 404.