(Nominated by NPC)
If you’ve ever met Tom Moen at the East Madison Community Center, you’ll know he has lots of stories to tell and a big legacy.
Tom was hired as director of the East Madison Community Center (EMCC) in May 1974 at an hourly rate of $3.50 per hour and was the only paid staff. He may have hitchhiked out of there, as he was prone to do in those days, but something about EMCC must have struck him differently. He never applied for another job, and fifty years later his resume remains the same.
If you’ve had the privilege to meet him, you may notice he’s dressed for — well, how do you say — something other than a meeting (sleeveless t-shirts are a favorite). Maybe that’s because as the director, especially in those early days, he was everything. He was the leader, the secretary, the janitor, the maintenance person, the lawn mower, the summer camp director and the event planner.
EMCC started out in two small apartments. In response to a mothers group wanting a safe place for their children during out-of-school time, he developed educational, social and recreational activities for all ages. As needs grew, Tom successfully ran three capital campaigns to add to the building. Today, thanks to Tom, EMCC has a fitness center, full-size gym, two kitchens, meeting rooms, teen room, pre-teen room, computer lab and more. Tom has touched so many lives, so many youth, so many families, too many to count.
Many people come back to EMCC to help in the same way EMCC helped them. Youth program participants went on to college, had families, successful careers and more. Some participants even stayed on to become board members under his guidance. Tom is soft spoken, humble and does not do what he does for awards. He gave his entire career to EMCC to better the lives of youth and their families. Tom’s legacy will live on forever at EMCC.
