Center observed 10th anniversary

Twenty-five years ago this week, a local facility was celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The Dec. 21, 1996, edition of The Commercial Review featured a story about Jay County Boys Club Community Center hitting its decade milestone.

The facility — now Jay Community Center — at 115 E. Water St. had previously been the Portland National Guard Armony site. Board president Jeb Bubp, who had been with the organization for 15 years at the time, walked around the facility and pointed to areas that used to be in disrepair.

“You just go through the names, they were all on our board and they all wanted to make a permanent place for the Boys club and we’re living their goal,” he said, mentioning leaders including Gordon meeker, Wayne Hinkle, Lee G. Hall and Max Naas. “The second generation people want to maintain it and build upon that dream.”

Portland Boys Club was founded in 1953 by the men’s organization of the Portland Methodist Church. The Boys Club purchased the former armory from the city in 1980 and renovated it thanks to a $385,000 capital campaign, transforming it into Jay County Boys Club Community Center in 1986. With the new facility came activities including walking for seniors, sports, Boys and Girls Club activities, cooking classes, line dancing and outreach programs.

“We keep including more stuff,” said Bubp.

And they were hoping for more. A futures committee had been formed to consider an expansion project. The board had already purchased land east of the facility and north across Water Street.

“The difference between where we started and where we are now … It’s only limited by our imagination,” Bubp said. “The citizens of Jay County have just stepped up any time we have a need. It's an amazing situation, really.”