The spotlight was definitely on the 10 years of operation for the Escalon Youth Center at an anniversary celebration there on Saturday, Aug. 8 … but there was also some shine left over to recognize several individuals that have been a big part of the success.
Special honors at the ceremony included a Legacy Award presented to Rita Langum on behalf of Rita and her late husband, Gene Langum, for their work helping to bring the project to fruition.
The Faithful Servant Award went to Roy Langum, who has volunteered at the center since it opened in 2016.
“I thought it would be a good thing to do since I was retired and I like being around kids,” Roy Langum, now 91, said of getting involved 10 years ago. “Todd (O’Neill) and I started together and we used to barbecue 20 hamburgers out there, in the cold and the rain and the fog …I’ve been working at lunch now, once a week for 10 years.”
Those lunches with 20 burgers have since grown exponentially, with the Youth Center offering a variety of foods for lunch, along with homework help, snacks, outdoor games and more.
Recognized with the Shepherd’s Heart award was Todd O’Neill, who was the original Escalon Youth Center Director when it opened in August of 2016 and also helped emcee the 10-year anniversary celebration.
“It is amazing to see that, after 10 years, the theme of hope and redemption is still here at the Youth Center,” O’Neill shared. “It’s about what this place used to be, an old, rundown motel, that was just a bad place for anybody to be at and now it’s a place that kids come and feel safe.”
O’Neill added that the community truly turned out 10 years ago, just as they do today.
“The church (Trinity Church), we bought it, we did a lot of the construction, the bulldozing, but the community came behind us after that, they wanted to volunteer, they wanted to help,” he explained. “So, it’s bigger than just the church; it’s the whole community that has come together and it warms my heart.”
He spent five years leading the Youth Center, then was followed by a few others before current director Madison Lovins took over.
“She was actually one of my students,” he said of Lovins being in a youth group he led, “so it’s crazy to see that she’s running the place now, but she’s fantastic and the future that she’s going to bring the youth center … it’s nothing but good things and I’m so excited about it.”
The Passing the Torch award was presented to Pastors Arney and Dana Corbin of Trinity Church, who have continued the support of the EYC throughout the years.
Honored with the Unsung Hero award was Debbie Murken, recognized for her crucial work behind the scenes that helps to keep things running smoothly.
Also attending the 10-year celebration were some of those that initially worked to turn the old Escalon Motel into a beacon of hope.
“This was just a great big mess of buildings,” volunteer Richard Myers of Escalon said, chuckling, adding that once the motel was purchased by the church, he knew working on the Youth Cetner facility would help provide memories for the rest of his life.
“I was the type of person, I would get involved in anything and everything,” explained Myers, who helped not only with the teardown but also the rebuild.
Vic Bizzanelli, from Atwater, was part of a group that assisted Trinity Church with the project and said he has a background in construction, so that came in handy.
“We had a good time; the energy was there,” he said of the work crew involved in the effort more than a decade ago.
He has also been active in church construction projects elsewhere, helping build churches in Mexico, and a home for a needy family in Arizona.
The late Pastor Jim Davis was the driving force behind the Escalon Youth Center, with Trinity Church members approving the purchase and then working toward turning the former motel location into a center that is open for middle and high school students throughout the school year.
“The vision of one man isn’t possible without those who come alongside of him and make that vision possible,” Brenda Davis, Jim’s wife, shared with the crowd at the anniversary gathering. “This place wouldn’t be standing here if Jim Davis just had a dream … this place is here because of people who have volunteered their blood, sweat and tears, literally, trying to put this building together and make it available for our community.”
She went on to say that the vision was one that “many have caught and run with” through the years, keeping the doors open and the center a safe haven for local youth.
