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Urbancrest honors residents
(by Dedra Cordle, staff writer - March 04, 2010)
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| Messenger photo by Dedra Cordle |
| Willie Outler, who received the honor of having a baseball field named after him, accepts an award from Mayor Joseph Barnes during the Black History Month celebration on Feb. 26. |
At the second annual village of Urbancrest Black History Month celebration on Feb. 26, residents came out to pay homage to current and past community members who have left a positive mark in the community.
The honorees were given plaques and praises for their achievements.
Their list of accomplishments range from dedicating years of their lives to serve on the village council, and to sparing a few tools for the betterment of the community. Some of them mentored newly elected officials, while others gave guidance to wayward children.
Listed below are the community leaders who were recognized during the ceremony.
Vaughn E. Hairston
"This is a man who has made a difference in the lives of all of the residents of Urbancrest," said council member S. Henry Warr about Hairston, who served three mayoral terms and was one of the founding members of the National Conference of Black Mayors.
Warr praised the late Hairston for securing grants and public funding for capital improvements and even credited Hairston for getting him involved in politics. But what Hairston is arguably best known for is bringing the Southwest Community Center YMCA to Urbancrest in 1977.
"Mr. Hairston was always thinking outside of the proverbial box," said Pastor Richard McDaniel of Union Baptist Church.
Current mayor Joseph Barnes Sr., said people are often afraid to find out what is outside of the wall, but Hairston was not one of those people.
"There was a lot of opposition to the Southwest Community Center," Barnes explained.
"People said we didn't have the money, people said they should downsize, people said they should put the money elsewhere."
Barnes noted their aquatics center has played host to collegiate teams for practices and tournaments, that the Ohio High School Athletics Association still holds meets and practices there and that the center's offered activities has produced athletes who went on to play football, baseball, basketball and track and field for universities throughout the nation.
"A lot of good things came out from the center and a lot of people believed it didn't belong here," he said.
Hairston's sister, Mary Robinson, said his heart was always with the village, and that he worked tirelessly to bring the YMCA to Urbancrest. She said he even spent nights with his dog in the building to keep the demolishers away.
"He saw a future for Urbancrest," she said after the center was renamed the Vaughn E. Hairston Southwest Community Center in his honor. "I just wish he was here for this."
Willie F. Outler
Joseph Barnes and his friend Darryl Gibson wanted to build a baseball diamond in Martin Luther King Park for the community to enjoy.
"We were both willing to dig, but it was just me, Darryl and two shovels," said Barnes.
After finding the excursion to be more challenging that expected, the two men decided it was time to take a break.
"I remember Darryl saying 'God, please send someone to help us out'," said Barnes.
After resuming the digging process, the men were soon joined by Willie Outler, who asked them what they thought they were doing. They explained their plight to Outler.
Soon after, Outler came back with a bulldozer, backhoe, and a dump truck and got to work. The baseball field construction was completed within two weeks.
"This was all done for free," said Barnes. "The work that he put in would probably be well over $20,000."
Outler said he did this because he "saw people in need, had the equipment and decided to donate some time" for something the whole community has been enjoying since 1998.
To thank him for his work, the village named the field the "Willie F. Outler Baseball Field."
Darryl Gibson
For his contributions to the Urbancrest youth, Darryl Gibson was given the Ellen Walker Craig-Jones Community Service Award.
Since moving to the area in 1983 and befriending Gibson, Barnes said Gibson has "shown a lot of love and care" for adolescents in need of guidance.
"He took kids in trouble, kids who were closest to spending time in juvenile detention and made a huge difference in their lives."
Gibson said this award was a culmination of the guidance given to him by the people of Urbancrest who helped shape him into the person he is today.
"All of the people here gave me guidance, gave me a place to be, gave me something to do," he said. "This is a thank you to the whole list of folks; I am just a product of them."
Also honored at the ceremony were Vivian J. Larkins, Barbara Quinichett and S. Henry Warr who were given an Achievement of Service award for serving over 20 years as on the village council.
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