A dream come true

A $500,000 gift is being used to transform the lives of young people in Springfield who want to learn a trade.

What is now known as The Frank and Linda Vala Dream Center of Sangamon County is located in Dawson Hall on the former Springfield campus of Benedictine University that once housed Ursuline Academy.

The center, which focuses on teaching young people trades, recently received a $500,000 donation from Springfield entrepreneurs Frank and Linda Vala.

“They’ve stepped up in a huge way to be a blessing to the city,” said the Rev. Eric Hansen, who is spearheading the creation of the center. “And we are just super grateful. We’ve had our first set of classes and they range from barbering to framing to drywall to plumbing to electrical trades. I even threw in a Bible class.”

Hansen said the building needs extensive repairs ranging from roof and gutters to painting and drywall. He said that they recently hired a chief operating officer and have been purchasing classroom supplies such as electrical and plumbing supplies.

“We are being very frugal with the money we have been given. I’m not accepting a salary. But those are kind of things we are spending the money on,” he said.

The idea behind the school is to introduce young people to career alternatives that do not require college. The classes are offered free of charge.

Although the trades are the central focus of the center, it is also offering two sports camps this summer for children in first through sixth grade. The free five-day camps will feature a different sport each day. The center is geared toward assisting young people from low-income households.

Hansen said the purpose of the Dream Center is to introduce individuals to various opportunities and funnel them into training programs already in the community.

“We’re not looking to replace anybody,” he said. “We want to be a supplement to District 186, homeschoolers or private schools. All of these classes we offered initially were in the evening, but the hope is that some of our classes in the fall will be during the day. The classes we just offered were for people 16 years of age and older. That won’t be necessarily the case this fall. … We would like to have grade-school kids, but we won’t have them use power tools.”

“Frank and Linda donated 12 computers,” Hansen said. “So, we’re going to have a computer lab set up where they can learn computer skills and hopefully some coding.”

Those teaching at the Dream Center are volunteering their time. A small stipend is provided to cover the cost of transportation.

Hansen pastors Destiny Church, which also meets on the former Benedictine campus. Students are not required to participate in religious activities.

Hansen started Destiny Church in 2017 after leaving iWorship Center, previously known as the First Assemblies of God Church. IWorship Center, 3200 Shaler Road, continues to operate under different pastoral leadership and under a different name – Radiant Church.

Hansen has said he has talked with people at Destiny Church about his idea for Dream Center Springfield for the past three years.

Frank Vala and Hansen came to know each other while serving on the board of the Springfield Airport Authority. Over the years, Vala has helped Hansen’s church build houses and other community projects in Guatemala.

Frank and Linda Vala say they are motivated to serve others because of their own upbringings.

“Linda and I both come from humble beginnings. She’s from Kentucky. I’m from Riverton. My father worked in Pillsbury. There were four of us in the family, and when there was no wheat in the summertime, there was no work,” Frank Vala said.

He added he is guided by the advice once given to him by a neighbor: “All we need to do is to direct one child in an area that will benefit the world.”

The Valas made their fortune by operating a business that provides in-home, non-medical care for elderly people. They also own Valco Awards & More, a business that produces trophies, plaques and other specialty award items.

Frank said he and his wife often have donated anonymously.

“What we do is like a businessman wetting his pants while wearing a dark suit. It gives you a warm feeling, but nobody notices,” he said. “I got to thinking, why shouldn’t I get some publicity? We see other people who make promises and never fulfill them.”

Linda Vala added, “Put our name out there – it’s time.”

Scott Reeder, a staff writer for Illinois Times, can be reached at sreeder@illinoistimes.com.

This article appears in Spring Home & Garden 2023.