The Milford Youth Center is very excited to receive a Greater Worcester Community Foundation grant of $2,000 to help continue progress on the development of a life skills workshop at the Center. This grant in particular will help with electrical upgrades in the space! The “Life Skills” Workshops will have a specified curriculum and related project for each workshop, related to a variety of different trades and skills. With this funding, the Center will be able to incorporate at least 10 workshops, one each month of our 10-month, free after school program, starting in September of 2022! This grant was written in honor of Ron Taylor, known as “Ron the Tool Man Taylor” to former and current MYC staff, who become such an integral and beloved volunteer and then board member. Ron not only helped MYC staff with a variety of different building projects but he also ran classes with our kids, like woodworking.
Unfortunately, Ron was dealt a tough break and he was diagnosed with Merkel Cell Carcinoma in September of 2020, a very rare and aggressive cancer, in which he passed from in December of 2021. Before his passing, Ron requested that a program at the Center be created where kids can continue to work with different skills and trades, like he did in the past, because maybe it could help others who may not find traditional learning to come easy to them. He was very aware and humbled by the help that he got when he was younger, which allowed him to create a wonderful life for his family and a life full of paying it forward to others. We would like to thank the volunteer grant writer, Francoise Elisa, for working with the Director of the Center on bringing this idea to life and for collaborating on the grant proposal! For video tribute to Ron, click here.