Gadsden resident honored for work in community

Louie Gradias has a new memento for his "museum" home in Gadsden.
 
He now has a glass award naming him as Outstanding Volunteer by the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials (NACPRO) for his continuous support of the small park in the area where he was raised.
 
Some in other states may not know that Gadsden, Ariz., is officially classified as a "census-designated" community and may never have been incorporated, although it was part of the Gadsden Purchase (June 1854).
  
"I felt honored with the award and proud to be from Gadsden," Gradias said. "We don't have a town as such, and no city council, but I've been given the unofficial title of 'Mayor' along with tending the park.
 
"I'm the fifth generation of my family to live in the community and I can remember the park being there a long time - just on the highway going through." 
  
"The award was highly deserved," said Marcos A. "Tony" Reyes, District 4 Yuma County supervisor. "Louie has spent a lifetime, at least since he was just a boy, playing in the Gadsden Park, working on maintenance and improvement, and volunteering. He is in the park system and was nominated for the honor by Hugh Hendren, Yuma County deputy director of public works. I sent a letter of support for the nomination as a supervisor and a longtime friend."
  
"Those of us in the Hispanic community are constantly looking for role models for our youth," Reyes said, "and the time and effort Gradias has expended over the years caring for this park certainly qualified him for consideration as the outstanding volunteer."
 
Reyes attended a NACPRO awards banquet in Kansas City, Mo., July 14 with Gradias and his wife, Delia.
 
At one time the park was just a grove of date trees. "In the 1950s Laddie Baxter had built a platform there for square dancers," Gradias said. In the ’60s, sports were played there.

"I liked to play baseball and we didn't really have enough players, but our Little League was coached by the late Davey Lott and we were enthusiastic. His dad, George Lott, was an avid supporter of the sport all through the years," Gradias said. "In fact, the park has a memorial to George and his son, Davey - dedicated in about 1990. We played ball with Somerton and San Luis in a league for about 17 years."
  
Gradias became involved with building a softball field in the park, and a fence was installed later along the canal, through a federal grant. He helped form and serve as president of the Gadsden Community Development board, which received the $30,000 grant.
  
The development board has been influential in providing for the electricity, water and toilets at the park.
 
"We try to keep the park clean, but have been challenged by vandals and those spraying graffiti all over the bathrooms," Gradias said. "My wife and I do the maintenance, and it's a continuous job."
 
For park use, the development board has forms to be filled out requesting the time of events, purpose - family reunions, picnics, weddings or other - and how many people are expected. A deposit is requested to help maintenance costs.
 
"Youths can come and play soccer or basketball," Gradias said.
 
The recent award is one of many Gradias earned - another was from the Yuma Community Foundation for his volunteering.
 
He worked for the Yuma Golf and Country Club for 37 years.
 
"This Gadsden Park and other community endeavors continue as long as possible. Our oldest son, Louie  Jr., has retired from the highway department and has moved back to Gadsden. We have two daughters, Becky Denna living in Napa, Calif., and Delfia Hook in Yuma, plus five grandchildren and two step-grandchildren."

Looking forward to Gadsden's future, Gradias said: "A community center and health care would be great."
 
The community development board is nonprofit. The businesses in Gadsden are seven car lots, a barbershop and the post office.
 
The Gradiases have turned their A-frame house into a museum, and the outside has so many things to see that can't be counted. "We've had many barbecues and other events here - and lots of visitors."