James A. Edmondson, CEO of Yours, Ours, Mine Community Center in Levittown, was honored recently, for 30 years of dedicated service to the organization.

Edmondson was honored with a surprise party at Antuns in Hicksville, attended by approximately 100 friends, family, peers, board members and staff. The board of directors and staff presented Edmondson with a plaque and he received citations from a representative of County Executive Thomas Gulotta, Assemblywoman Kathleen Murray, Assemblyman Marc Herbst, Assemblywoman Donna Ferrara, Nassau County Legislator Dennis Dunne and Town of Hempstead Councilmembers Anthony Santino, Linda Reed, and Gary Hudes. A resident of the Village of Hempstead, Edmondson also was presented with a Village Seal by Russell Hood, special assistant to Mayor Garner.

Friends and family members came from all over, including Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Maryland to honor Edmondson and to see him receive his citations and plaques. Numerous heads of other Nassau County Human Service Organizations spoke about Edmondson's many accomplishments.

Edmondson came to New York in 1963 and began working as a case worker at the Nassau County Commission on Human Rights. He went on to work for the Nassau County Children's Shelter as a youth worker, before going on to help establish the Roosevelt Youth Center and the MLK Youth Center in Long Beach.

In 1969 Edmondson became employed by the Youth Direction Council of Levittown-Island Trees (YDC) as the Youth Program Coordinator. The youth at YDC immediately recognized Edmondson as a friend and mentor. At that time the YDC was located in a small storefront which is now Fred's Deli.

In 1970 the executive director of YDC left the agency and the board began searching for a replacement. Although several qualified candidates were in contention for the position, based upon the insistence of the youth, Edmondson was chosen.

When Edmondson took over the reins of the agency, there was a very small budget which was not able to support the vision he had for the YDC. He immediately began submitting applications for funding and wrote proposals for grants. The agency increased their funding with a grant from the Nassau County Youth Board, raising the agency's resources to approximately $15-20,000.

A larger building became available in Levittown and Edmondson suggested that the board look into moving the program to better accommodate the youth recreation program. The youth began cleaning out the newly rented building and painted and repaired the facility, which now stands as the YOM Community Center.

With the new building came an increase in patrons. Edmondson saw that many of the youth who used the facility had problems and could benefit from counseling services. A counselor was hired and if a child at the YDC indicated they had a problem they were recommended to the counselor. This counseling service included parents and other family members and eventually grew to the point where more counselors were needed. Youth with problems such as family stress, school problems, peer pressure, substance abuse, and juvenile delinquency were all taken in.

In 1972, Edmondson began the first Summer Day Camp, which eventually grew into what is now known as the Summer Child Care Program. This program was an immediate success and helped working mothers and those who just needed some time away. A Nursery program was soon added as well as programs in woodworking, photography, and tutoring. In 1973 YDC started the first Bingo in Levittown. Board members and parents of children in the Nursery School Program volunteered and the proceeds were used to enhance the nursery school, repair the building and make the cellar into usable space. Money was also saved for the YDC to purchase the building they had been renting. It was purchased in 1979, through the establishment of Youth Building Corp., a holding corporation which to this day holds the mortgage on the building. It was necessary at that time because no not-for-profit organization was allowed to own property.

Subsequently, the name of the agency was changed from the Youth Direction Council to Yours Ours Mine Community Center and was expanded to provide services for adults and senior citizens as well as for children.

In 1984 Edmondson recommended the building be enlarged and by 1988 the building that currently stands on Center Lane was open for business. By that time, under the direction of Edmondson, the program was expanded further to include the Adolescent and Adult Alcohol and Substance Abuse program, which received funds from the Nassau County Department of Drug and Alcohol Addiction. It then expanded to include the Senior Nutrition and Transportation program and Senior Day Care, a service that helps frail and impaired seniors who suffer from various age-related dementia, including Alzheimer's.

The new nursery school, named after Edmondson, is in a new wing of the building and serves 35-45 children.

Counseling programs at YOM include, individual and family counseling, substance abuse counseling, marriage and family counseling, and more. The Family and Child Development program presents services for all family members.

The YOM budget, under Edmondson's guidance, has reached over $2,000,000 and is rising. At this time the agency serves approximately 4,500-5,000 people, with a staff of about 85. In 1999, with Edmondson's intervention and dealings with the bank officials, YOM was able to purchase the building at 148 Center Lane. This facility will be used for the Senior Day Care Program and offices.

Between 20 and 25 years ago Edmondson was told he was "a dreamer" and that nothing he talked about would ever come true. Today, all he "dreamed about" has come to fruition, and those at YOM hopes he never stops dreaming.