A former school in the heart of Abilene is getting a new lease on life.
Keep Abilene Beautiful and Let Us Breathe Abilene partnered on Monday to kick off a multi-year project aimed at cleaning up and eventually renovating the former Fannin Elementary School. The school, which closed in 2013, has sat vacant for more than a decade.
Shawnte Lewis, founder and president of Let Us Breathe Abilene, said the property was recently donated to the organization with plans to transform it into a safe community space. The nonprofit focuses on education, empowerment, and advocacy within the Abilene community.
“Never in a million years did I think we would have this school donated to us,” Lewis said. “So we are very thankful to the Abilene Independent School District Board members, and trustees, very grateful for them.”
Melissa Morris, president of Keep Abilene Beautiful, said her organization worked alongside Keep Texas Beautiful to ensure volunteers had the tools they needed for a successful cleanup.
“We include the grabbers, trash bags, gloves, we provide everything needed so that people in the community can have a successful cleanup,” Morris said.
Lewis said the cleanup was intentionally scheduled for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, emphasizing the importance of community unity and service.
“Today, MLK Day, this is a significant day,” Lewis said. “When you think about that speech, I have a dream, and when you listen to that speech, you see people from all races and walks of life that are gathered here in the building on our north side, working together, and it’s cold, but we are here, and I just love it. It’s a different kind of feeling when people support or see your vision, and they believe in that vision.”
The cleanup marks the first step in a long-term effort to revitalize the former school and create a space that serves the surrounding community.
