BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com
A lot can change in 25 years: hairstyles, styles of jeans, locations of organizations, the use of telephones and smartphones.
But there are certain community characteristics that may always stay the same.
That’s where the Mahomet Area Youth Club finds itself, having served the Mahomet community by working with youth for the last quarter of a century.
MAYC has gone through a few directors, has moved locations, has watched children become responsible, respectful, caring and productive citizens while also learning their lingo and providing opportunities for them as times change.
It all began in 1994 when Gary and Trudy Matthews began to wonder if students spent time at home were alone after school or if they had the tools they needed to be engaged in the world.
He reached out to the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club in Champaign to see if a satellite program could be set up in Mahomet. By 2003, MAYC became its own entity.
What transpired over the past 25 years is chronicled in newspapers, but written in the hearts of those who served and were served.
To celebrate those years, the friendships that were made, the children who turned into adults, the blood, sweat and tears that have made the organization remain a constant in Mahomet, MAYC will host a reunion of sorts, an open house, from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26.
“All MAYC volunteers, board and members are excited about 25 years,” Executive Director Sara Balgoyen said.
Joining the organization in the spring of 2019, Balgoyen has taken the helm of a group that now provides after school programs for junior high students, scholarships for B.L.A.S.T. programming, full-day programming for when school is not in session, summer programming with nearly 120 enrollees, financial support for the Maker’s Club at Mahomet-Seymour High School and a facility for ATLAS programming.
Matthews said that where MAYC has grown to over the years is much more than he could have envisioned.
“Trudy and I always hoped that the community would adopt the program and that it would become a permanent part of the community, but today’s MAYC has evolved beyond our most optimistic dreams,” Matthews said.
Margaret White joined Gary and Trudy as a volunteer 25 years ago. She said that it has been the Matthews’ vision that has helped the program develop.
“Gary and Trudy are truly a gift to this world,” White said.
“Their endless energy, and dedication to making a difference in the lives of children are an inspiration to me and many. They truly ‘Walk the talk.’
“At times, when I was going to back away from volunteering, Gary would be at my front door, with a new idea or something else, that needed to be done. He is very convincing!”
On the backs of volunteers like the Matthews and the Whites, among many, many others, MAYC has provided children who took advantage of their services with much more than just a place to be.
“The Club has provided not only stability, and a safe place but endless opportunities to learn and grow,” White said.
“I smile when I think of the ‘former’ MAYC traveling basketball program, the MAYC Cheerleaders, camping trips, trips to Chicago, museums, Indianapolis, the movies, volunteering in the community, and art and music opportunities.
“Many of us take these for granted. These activities help children see beyond their small world and provide a framework for what they can be in the future.”
Dustin Sears, who attended MAYC programming from 1999-2005, now volunteers at MAYC as much as possible and sends his children there.
“The biggest impact for me was the overall guidance,” Sears said. “A couple staff members took me under their wing when I was struggling through the loss of my mother and this love showed me I was worth more than depicted by my thoughts.”
Sears hopes to grow in his involvement with MAYC and give back to the organization that means so much to him.
He was one of three persons on the 25-year celebration committee. Danielle Reed and Karl Mauzy, also former members, helped out, too.
Matthews said that the Club’s success has hinged on the work and donations adults in the Mahomet community have contributed.
“Knowing and working with the many adults who have given generously of their time and resources, and most importantly, shared their love and compassion for kids, has been a wonderfully uplifting experience,” Matthews said.
Balgoyen said the Mahomet community is lucky to have a program like this because many other small towns do not.
“And not only do we have it, but it’s sustained and it’s growing and it’s continuing to meet the needs that the community has,” she said.
Sears said that is because Mahomet has remained committed to providing strong supporters in children’s corners.
“My hope is that the community looks at the club as a safe place for their children to attend during the breaks from school,” he said. “This place offers fundamental educational and physical growth programs, that allow children to build the confidence necessary to become leaders in their respective communities.”
Clubs and organizations which have supported MAYC throughout the years, including the Mahomet Rotary Club, the Mahomet Town and Country Women’s Club and the Mahomet Lions Club, among others, have been invited to Saturday’s celebration.
Former members, volunteers and directors will be at the club alongside current members for games and activities, a balloon artist and ways to share memories of the club.
“Our mission is still really the same: to serve kids and families of the community,” Balgoyen said.
