El Paso Inc honors Wayne Thornton with ‘Community Service Award’
EL PASO (KVIA) -- The annual El Paso Inc. "El Pasoan of the Year" luncheon took place today, February 25th, and one borderland "mover and shaker", Wayne Thornton, received this year's "Community Spirit Award" as he continues his volunteering efforts (more than five decades and counting.)
In another edition of "People, Places & Paul", ABC-7 anchor Paul Cicala got up close and personal with the the longtime sports guru in the El Paso area, who was also honored at a recent UTEP Women's basketball game.
"In 1974 is when UTEP really officially sanctioned the (women'ts) program," said Wayne Thornton, who was an assistant coach on that squad, while still a college student.
Now, they're celebrating the 50-year anniversary season of the very first women's basketball team at UTEP.
"I was the head coach after four years, back in 1977, so that was great," said Thornton.
Later, Wayne Thornton took a position as the spokesperson for the El Paso Parks and Recs Department. It was a job that he held for multiple decades.
Meanwhile, just a couple of years after retiring, the Rec Center on the northeast side of El Paso was re-named in his honor: "Wayne Thornton Community Center at Grand View."
Thornton told ABC-7's Paul Cicala: "It's a legacy that I wish everybody could enjoy."
The legacy is also rooted in volunteering, service, and dedication to El Paso's youth -which includes his creation of the junior league's midnight basketball program back in 1994. The program helped keep teens off the streets and away from drugs and gangs.
Thornton also takes pride in the program offering girls a chance to shoot hoops.
Many of those "then" kids, are now adults, and sometimes run into Thornton around town and say: "I used to play in that McDonald's (Junior League") when I was a little kid, and you'd make that phone call to me and say that I've been drafted," said Thornton, "It's the greatest thing, it's like the NBA, and I think every child should have that opportunity."
When asked what it means to be named an El Paso Inc, Community Spirit Award recipient, Thornton answered, "It's something you'll take with you every night when you go to bed, and you can say that you've finally made the stage, finally made the bright lights."
Wayne has shared those bright lights with Julie Kallman for over 30 years, when she teamed up with him for the formation of midnight hoops.
Julie Kallman, Community Volunteer, added, "It's been the honor of my life. I don't think there is any person that deserves the Community Spirit Award from El Paso Inc. more than this man."
Wayne Thornton is also known fo his positive catch phrases like: "Just before you get in your car and look into the sky, you won't see any stars, you know why? -Because all the stars are right here," said Thornton to Paul Cicala with a big smile.
Perhaps, Wayne Thornton's most popular "catch phrase" is "It's nice as rice, and mellow as jellow."
Thornton explained it by saying, "'Nice as rice and mellow as jello' just relaxes you for that moment. It makes you feel like, 'my life is okay'."
Even in retirement, Wayne Thornton continues to stay involved with the Junior League of El Paso, with the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame, The Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, and the UTEP Women's basketball team, just to name a few.
He was also the grand marshall for the 88th Annual Glasheen, Valles & Inderman Injury Lawyers SUN BOWL PARADE back in November.
People, Places & Paul is a semi-regular segment that airs on KVIA ABC-7 as Paul Cicala takes you to hotspots around the borderland, and also introduces you to many of the "movers and shakers" in our region.
