CORVALLIS — Rick Bennett’s dedication to Philomath youth earned him recognition as the Philomath Youth Activities Club’s Promise Builder of the Year at the organization’s annual fundraising dinner Friday night at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on the Oregon State University campus.
PYAC Executive Director Eddie Van Vlack said the award honors “a person or business that best exemplifies an unwavering desire to make a positive difference in the lives of the youth in our community.”
The recognition caught Bennett by surprise — he’s not one for the spotlight.
“My wife snuck pictures to Eddie,” Bennett said, referring to photos from past years that were shown as part of a slide presentation. “It’s fun to see some of the pictures. I had hair back then.”
For Bennett, the commitment started when his twin sons, Koeby and Spencer, joined PYAC programs in second grade.
“I coached them every year in basketball starting at a really young age and have always tried to be a support financially of PYAC,” Bennett said.
His approach to service stems from his upbringing.
“I was raised in a family with not a lot of money but we always learned to help others,” he said. “I learned that from my parents at a young age.”
Bennett’s daily priorities reflect that philosophy.
“When I wake up in the morning, my first thoughts are how much time to I get to spend with my wife, how much time do I get to spend with my boys … and how much time do I get to spend with a youth to make a difference.”
That commitment shows up in practical ways. Bennett has spent months volunteering with basketball players, hosting early morning workouts at his house.
“I had five girls show up at 7:30 in the morning and work out at my house for two hours and then at 9:30, I had five guys show up and work out for two hours,” he said.
With 44 years of experience in the fitness business, Bennett said he wants to help “youth become more fit and change their lives in a positive way — not just as an athlete but maybe long-term health as they get older.”
He currently coaches middle school basketball with assistance from his son, Spencer, and Preston Kramer.
Bennett credits the community for making youth development possible.
“It’s a funny old saying but it takes a village and Philomath is an amazing village with amazing people that want to help out,” he said. “And it’s emotional for me to see all the help.”
He sees PYAC as foundational to the community’s success.
“There’s so much help in this community and I just love that — that’s part of the reason why Philomath is so successful with the school programs and kids graduating,” Bennett said. “A lot of it starts with kids that go at a young age to PYAC and see the value of making friendships and connecting.”
Van Vlack said the PYAC board selects the Promise Builder award recipient from an evolving list of candidates.
“It’s not scientific by any stretch but there are certain things and certain people that just have a tendency to rise to the top,” he said. “One of the policies we have in general is we try not to recognize people that are still involved, whether that be as a board member or active coach and kind of wait until they’ve done their time, if you will.”
Van Vlack emphasized that award recipients represent the broader spirit of PYAC volunteers.
“There’s not a person in this room that does what they do for our organization because they want to get an award or want to be recognized,” he said. “They all have the right thing in mind and a big heart. I think it’s fantastic.”
The honor obviously had a personal impact on Bennett. The emotion of the moment played out at the table where he sat with his wife, Danielle, and during the few minutes he spent on stage, his voice cracked a few times.
“He has his heart in the right place, he really does,” Van Vlack said. “He wants to do the right thing, he wants to help kids, he loves basketball. … That emotion you saw in his face wasn’t fake — he was super excited, super honored.”
Bennett’s contributions extend beyond coaching. Van Vlack noted his longtime support of the PYAC Carnival, one of the organization’s most successful fundraisers.
“Every year, he dedicates himself and his family to the PYAC Carnival fundraiser, filling the high school football field with S&K Inflatables, games and rides just to enjoy the kids and families across our community,” Van Vlack said. “While this event has been crucial for helping our organization raise much-needed resources for our programs for the past 18 years, Rick would be the first one to tell you we measure the success of the event not by the dollars but by the smiles on kids’ faces.”
The evening also featured Gerry Alston, pastor at The Refuge in Philomath, as the keynote speaker. Alston shared his personal story of overcoming childhood struggles and discussed how PYAC has benefited his family and the broader community.
“His story is not a common one to us but the organization made such a difference to his whole family — not just to him, but his whole family,” Van Vlack said.
Jeff Minter, PYAC board vice president, served as master of ceremonies, and Mike King gave the invocation.