The Inaugural SOS Builds Project Moves Forward!

Carpenter Street in Binghampton has seen some exciting changes in the last few years: there’s Cornerstone Preparatory Academy, the Carpenter Art Garden and, most recently, the Purple House.  In May, SOS Builders will install a clubhouse behind the Purple House—our inaugural SOS Builds project. SOS Builds launched this fall with 15 middle school students from Lester Prep and Lester Middle School. SOS Builders have been tasked with the design, build and installation of a wooden play structure, dubbed The Clubhouse, as an added element to the Purple House and Art Garden property.

SOS Builds meets on Wednesdays after school, and is led in part by SOS High School Staff alumni Corina Brown, Patrick Herrington and Dorian Moore. They work to model the culture of SOS to the Builders and are responsible for leading a Bible lesson each week, along with other leadership roles.

Now in week 8 of our programming, Builders have been busy getting an SOS shop tour and tool teaching with Big Dog, acting as contractors in a vision casting with BDC and Art Garden customer representatives, meeting architect Scott Fleming and going through an architectural charette, doing design roundtables, and other related activities like building popsicle bridges, learning to read scaled blue prints and communication exercises.

The next few weeks will include revealing design options for our customers’ review and a final design unveiling. Next semester the Builders will really earn their title! In January we’ll begin the construction of the clubhouse and complete the installation in May.

Among the SOS Builders is a wide spectrum of talents – there are the dreamers, the visionaries, the practical thinkers, the engineers, the math minds and more – all committed to learning, working hard, and sharing their gifts to help us create a clubhouse that will serve Binghampton well.

In this initial season of SOS Builds, every detail and decision is without precedent. Please join us in praying for wisdom and provision! And, as with any effort of SOS, we pray God will be glorified and He will use SOS Builds to empower persons and transform this neighborhood.