The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE, Va (VR) – Youth empowerment took center stage during a recent community gathering in Clifton Forge, as Boys Home of Virginia staff and students, along with local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, brought personal stories and future aspirations to life before an engaged audience.
The evening’s highlight was a moving presentation from Laura Robertson Costigan, Donor Relations Manager at Boys Home of Virginia. Costigan, a Covington native and James Madison University graduate, returned to her hometown not just to recount the successes of the institution but to introduce the faces and voices behind its mission.
Boys Home of Virginia, a respected nonprofit founded more than a century ago, fosters growth and opportunity for young men, many overcoming challenging circumstances. “We believe every child deserves the support that leads to a successful adulthood,” Costigan told attendees, reflecting on her own upbringing in a loving family, which inspired her vocation. “I believe in the young men we serve, and I want to cheer them along toward their success.”
Students and alumni took the microphone, offering a glimpse into daily life and lifelong lessons gleaned at Boys Home. Laura’s husband, Donnie Costigan, a Boys Home alum from the class of 1995 and now Director of Athletics and Recreation, shared his own transformative journey.
“I came to Boys Home after my parents’ divorce, falling behind in school, but found the stability and encouragement I needed,” Donnie said. He credited the staff’s unwavering support for his academic turnaround, athletic achievements, and sustained community engagement, eventually leading him to guide the next generation.
Current boys, including Augie, Ryan, and Terrence, introduced themselves, proudly stating their hometowns and the time they’d spent at Boys Home. Ryan, new to the program, said, “You learn to try things you’re not used to, like basketball; there’s a lot of opportunity here.”
Laura described the comprehensive programming from academics and athletics to trades and farming, that gives Boys Home students experience and resilience.
“Our motto is ‘What’s learned here is for life,’” she said.
The home offers a small in-house school, a range of sports, residential cottages with built-in mentoring, and expansive farmland home to countless animals.
Boys Home’s trades program, led by instructor Jody Eggleston, is the newest addition, immersing boys in carpentry, landscaping, and firsthand skills with an eye toward real-world careers.
Community service forms another pillar of the Boys Home mission, as Costigan outlined through anecdotes and photos.
“This fall, our boys led a blood drive, volunteered at a local oyster roast, and spent hours at the Covington Christmas Mother Shop, lifting boxes and setting up tables,” she recounted. These moments, she said, “show the boys that hard work and helping others can be rewarding and fun.”
Echoing this, Donnie Costigan encouraged the young men to seize every opportunity Boys Home offers: “Work hard, give back, respect others, and make the most of your time here. People believe in you, and this place is here to help you grow.”
A lively Q&A followed, allowing audience members to ask students what they learned, what they would change as “executive director for a day,” and what personal challenges they’d overcome. For some, it was academic progress; for others, the courage to try new tasks or to give back to the community.
“Take advantage of everything you can while you’re here,” Donnie advised, “because it’s a fun place to be.”
The evening stepped seamlessly from the Boys Home presentations to a celebration of the area’s proud scouting traditions. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts were present, many in full uniform, their achievements and service recognized by community leaders. The crowd, which included former den and day camp leaders among the organizers, welcomed the presence of Troop 2’s scouts.
A ceremony to honor a new Eagle Scout, “James Helmintoller Quantz,” highlighted the night, with speakers noting the significance of the rank both to the individual recipient and to the broader community.
“We’re excited to see what this young man will achieve,” Troop Two’s leader Dominique Washington said.
Leaders from the troop celebrated Clifton Forge’s “long, proud legacy” of scouting and the strength such programs bring.
The intertwining of Boys Home narratives and scout ceremony underscored the town’s focus on providing opportunity, guidance, and belonging to its youth. Speakers traced connections between
Boys Home and Scouting notes skills in leadership, responsibility, and service as common threads.
As the formal program concluded, guests were invited to mingle with Boys Home staff and scouts over dessert and refreshments.
Costigan offered business cards and a standing invitation for community members to visit Boys Home in the future, tour its growing campus, and “come see firsthand the difference these programs are making.”
The event ended with applause and gratitude for the young presenters, leaders, and supporters who are shaping the next chapter of the Alleghany Highlands.
“What you see here is a community investing in its future,” one attendee remarked. “And that future is bright.”
