In the summer of 1969, Gary Sipes, then a young boy in his early teens, joined a procession in his neighborhood on Aurora’s East Side. The procession was organized by members of St. Olaf Church, who walked from their building on Benton Street in Aurora to the groundbreaking of a new church site on Douglas Avenue in Montgomery. This site was once surrounded by cornfields.
Years later, Sipes returned to that very location for another groundbreaking event. This time, it was for the Wayside Cross Ministries Youth Center, set to be constructed on four acres obtained from the church. Sipes attended as a neighbor, which mattered because addressing local community concerns was crucial for Wayside when proposing the project to Montgomery’s village officials last year.
Sipes empathized with the locals’ concerns about change, but he also recognized the center’s purpose. “If we do what we are supposed to do,” he said, “we are here to help these kids.” His sentiments resonated with the crowd of approximately 125 supporters present for the groundbreaking ceremony.
Among the speakers was Montgomery Village President Matt Brolley. Initially aware of the neighborhood’s worries, Brolley visited Wayside Cross’s main campus in downtown Aurora and gained insight into their operations. He acknowledged a significant need that surpassed municipal limits and saw the youth center’s location between the church, Fox Valley Park District fields, and Krug Elementary School as ideal. “I am very excited,” Brolley commented, “to be just a little part of this.”
Vicki Morkos, president and CEO of the Dunham Foundation, shared similar thoughts. Her organization has a longstanding connection with Wayside Cross. Thomas Dunham, a founding board member of Wayside in 1928, established Equipto Electronics. His son, John C. Dunham, propelled the company’s success and launched the Dunham Foundation with a mission to enhance global living conditions. Morkos expressed that the foundation’s dedication to Wayside’s endeavors, such as its adult programs and Lifespring Center, motivated them to support the new youth center. “We saw it as an opportunity to support another high-quality initiative,” she stated, aiming to provide children with a safe, nurturing space to learn, play, and grow.
For around 15 years, Wayside Cross has used St. Olaf as the site for its after-school and summer programs for children aged 5-17 from Aurora and Montgomery. The desire for a dedicated facility became feasible when Executive Director James Lukose identified the church’s adjacent open land as ideal for the center.
The upcoming 10,000-square-foot center, developed by Sequoia General Contracting, is projected to open next summer. It will feature classrooms, a multi-purpose room, gymnasium, and kitchen, with plans for future sports fields. The center will offer tutoring, educational support, leadership development, and recreational activities. St. Olaf interim Pastor Dan Haas highlighted the significance of this, aligning it with the church’s mission established by Norwegian immigrants seeking religious freedom in the early 1900s.
Sequoia President David Blasi encouraged attendees during the ceremony. “Today we start to make the vision a reality,” he announced, prompting applause. “Let’s pick up our hard hats and shovels and get to work.”