Imagine being a senior in high school, living in the dangers of gang and drug activity and you wonder: what will become of me? Perry McGowan was in this place but decided not to wait on help to come. He decided to actively pursue a solution himself.
Perry began tutoring 8 children in his mom’s living room. After 8 turned into 16, Perry was able to arrange for space in a mobile trailer maintained by the Preston Taylor Management Office. This program offered tutoring, drug prevention training, Boy Scouts, field trips, fashion shows, and sports opportunities and relied on several Preston Taylor parents as volunteers.
In the mid-1990s, Perry was hired by Metro Parks to run programming out of the Preston Taylor Community Center. In 1997, Patrick Hamilton began volunteering at the Preston Taylor Community. Perry introduced him to students, parents, and community leaders and Patrick connected a group of church leaders, community leaders and parents in the Preston Taylor community to build on the work that Perry had started. In March, 1998 PTM was formally incorporated as a Christian-based non-profit named Preston Taylor Ministries.
25 year later and here we are: preparing for our 24th Annual PTM Golf Classic. The funds from this event will help allow us to continue our efforts to provide after-school programs, mentoring, field trips and experiences for over 225 students. Since 1998, PTM has settled in the heart of the North and West Nashville community to empower children and youth to discover their God-inspired dreams, develop a love for learning and to build friendships that glorify Christ Jesus.
The need still exists for children and youth in North and West Nashville to have spaces where they are able to explore who they are and who they have been created to be to impact their community. PTM students have gone on to graduate high school, college, trade school programs, and enter into professional careers as real estate agents, medical professionals, teachers and so much.
Playing and/or sponsoring PTM’s Golf Classic makes way for the up-and-coming generation to experience the community, love and space to discern what hundreds of students before them have been afforded to experience.
On behalf of the PTM families, staff and board – thank you. Thank you for teeing off with PTM so that PTM can remain present in our community.
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