arts and crafts

The first clue that something once existed deep in the woods here is a towering, rusted water tank shrouded by the trees that have grown up around it. Other evidence includes concrete foundations, a tall stone chimney and several dilapidated, rotted-wood cabins. The decaying structures are the last vestiges of a long-abandoned summer youth camp built in the 1930s for disadvantaged children. Walking among the remains, it’s not hard to envision a noisy and lively camp filled with city kids and counselors enjoying campfires, sing-alongs, arts and crafts, swimming and hiking. Now it’s ghostly quiet and a bit eerie.

2024 July 19, John Kostrzewa, “Beach Pond Camp was a haven for city kids in the 1930s. Now you can explore its eerie ruins”, in The Providence Journal, retrieved 31 May 2026

The spacious Pao Arts Center in Chinatown has become a focal point of this effort to broaden entertainment options. Monday nights, the second-floor of the center is transformed into a hub of activity — with karaoke performances, traditional Chinese dancing, and Ping-Pong. The center also holds monthly arts and crafts events, where mental health clinicians discuss the signs of compulsive gambling and encourage people to seek help.

2026 March 24, Chris Serres, Danny McDonald, Mable Chan, “In Greater Boston’s Asian communities, gambling can build social ties — and fuel addiction. Here’s how residents are fighting back.”, in The Boston Globe, retrieved 31 May 2026