THe B.I.G 

Campaign 

Help Us launch a bold new chapter at Boggs Rural Life Center, INc. —where legacy is honored and the future is built B.I.G

Aerial view of a park with pathways, trees, a basketball court, and multiple buildings.

How will you shape the future? 

The B.I.G. Initiative is more than restoration—it's a revival. As we celebrate 120 years of the Boggs Academy legacy, we're launching a campaign to transform the Boggs Rural Life Center, Inc’s campus into a center for rural innovation, heritage and sustainable development. From rebuilding classrooms to reactivating farmland, our vision is BIG because our legacy demands it.

GROW WITH US

Give Now

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal”
— Peter Heller

As we approach our 120th Anniversary of Boggs Academy, we’re launching “The 120 Campaign: A B.I.G. Vision for Boggs.”
It’s time to Build. Invest. Grow. A new season is here—one that will reclaim land, restore legacy, and reignite innovation.

initiative Priorities

  • Without it, nothing else can live. Our aging system must be stabilized so the campus can sustain all future renovations, from housing to retreat facilities. This is the foundation of every dream we dare to build.

  • These historic cottages once housed Boggs families. Now, they will rise again as reimagined, modern micro homes—stable and affordable—so that new families can thrive where legacy began.

  • Once a dormitory, soon a beacon. We will transform Harbison into supportive housing, meeting urgent needs for stability, dignity, and community in rural Burke County.

  • The Dairy Cottage, Purvis Hall, and Tennis Court.

    These beloved but deteriorating structures must be safely removed. Their absence will make way for new growth while preserving Boggs’ historic heart.


  • Roofing Systems: The Gymnasium. The Classroom Wing.

    With secure roofing, these vital spaces will once again resound with education, athletics, training, and life. A roof over their heads means hope under our care.

  • The President’s Home

    With foundation repair, modernization, and a Rose Garden designed for outdoor events, this home will serve not only as a residence but as a gathering place—where history and hospitality meet.

  • Swimming Pool and Recreational Facilities

    Generations remember the laughter and splashes at the Boggs Pool. Restoring it means more than recreation—it’s wellness, fellowship, and tradition reborn. For youth, families, and alumni, the pool is Boggs alive again.


“Go to the People

Live among them.

Learn from them.

Plan with them.

Work with them.

Build on what they have.

Teach by showing .

Learn by doing,

Not a showcase but a pattern,

Not odds and ends but a system

Not relief but release.”

—Credo, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, Silang Philippines

An outdoor swimming pool filled with stagnant, green water, surrounded by a chain-link fence, with a green metal roof building behind it, under a blue sky with scattered clouds and tall trees in the background.
A backyard with a large swimming pool in front of a brick house with a green metal roof, surrounded by trees and shrubs.
A red brick building with a curved roof, surrounded by green trees and grass, under a blue sky with clouds, and a cracked paved driveway leading to the entrance.
A brick building with large windows and a white curved roof, surrounded by grass and trees, under a clear blue sky.
Boggs Dining Hall est. 1924
A brick building with a set of stairs leading to a front door, multiple windows, and a small landscaped area in front.

Why give?

In 1906, on sacred soil in Keysville, Georgia, a transformative vision was born: Boggs Academy, a school founded to educate and empower Black students during segregation. It became a national symbol of excellence in education, character, and community.

Today, the Boggs Rural Life Center,Inc is carrying that legacy forward through the B.I.G. Initiative:

  • Build the campus and restore critical infrastructure.

  • Invest in rural education, youth leadership, and entrepreneurship.

  • Grow land-based programs in agriculture, sustainability, and innovation.

With your help, we're launching the first phase of this revival—reclaiming the land, restoring its purpose, and planting a new generation of promise.

Aerial view of a school campus with multiple sports fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, and various buildings surrounded by trees.