Abilene’s Lancium project inspires kids with construction fun

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A construction company brought in for the Lancium data center project in northwest Abilene is proving that construction can be fun. Houston-based company DPR Construction is doing a little bit of public outreach with their camp construction, which highlights many facets of the industry through fun activities. Project Director for DPR Construction, Dichelle Burrus, spoke about one of the main goals of this camp.

“Construction’s becoming a lot more technology-based or a lot more teamwork-based, and people don’t always realize that. It’s still kind of an old school view of what construction is, and what I love about this is it really helps the kids see that construction can be different, can be fun, can be teamwork based,” Burrus explained.

Children participated in activities such as a tower building competition, drone demonstrations, computer design project renderings, a bridge construction project and even a free breakfast and lunch.

However, there are those amongst the construction company’s volunteers who shares a more personal connection to this organization. Zackery Brady is with DPR Construction and is one of the mentors for this educational camp. Brady was also part of the Boys & Girls Club organization in his youth and says that coming back to a place that was such a positive influence on his childhood carries a sense of fulfillment.

“I think of when I was a kid, and I had a mentor above me. And, you know, having that great mentor interaction. I’m happy that I’m able to step into that role now and kind of influence these kids. It makes me feel really great being able to give back to the community that kind of helped me grow up,” Brady shared.

While DPR is based in Houston, its presence is seen across the state of Texas and often pair this camp with local Boys & Girls Club branches whenever they see crews in different cities on a construction job. Project Director Burrus spoke to the long-standing relationship their company has with this youth organization.

“We’ve partnered with the Boys and Girls Club for 20-plus years now as an organization, and we partner with them in every city and region that we work in,” Burrus said. “When we came to Abilene for the project we’re working on, we found their Boys and Girls Clubs here in the vicinity. We knew we had to be part of it. We knew we had to bring this here.”