A firehouse that once helped protect the community around 3rd Street in Decatur has a renewed purpose as a sanctuary for teens.
“We’ve been wanting this for a long time. We’ve been wanting our own space,” said Temperance Ricks, a member of the Boys and Girls Club.
13-year-old Ricks lives in the neighborhood and is just one of many teens that can come to ‘The Station’ to play games, do homework, and plan for their futures. All from the safety of their own neighborhood, thanks to the Boys and Girls Club.
“We like to set up in the heart of the community. We want to be an anchor in the community. We want to be a member of the community. So kids know they have somebody they can trust,” said Patrick Wynn, the President of the Boys and Girls Club of North Alabama.
The Boys and Girls Club said they wanted to pay respect to the firefighters who served here decades ago.