The first home of MCSAA was at the corner of 2nd and Cota Streets. Julie Richert acted as Administrator for the two or three years prior to 1981.
Marge Emsley-Brown became the first official Director in 1981. She and Lou Redman were instrumental in the process of MCSAA becoming registered as a non-profit incorporated entity. Brown was very involved in directing MCSAA's development. In 1985, the Center was moved from the 2nd and Cota address to the old Shelton Armory, on Franklin across from Safeway. That building is now owned by the Mason Transit Authority.
Fund raising began in earnest in 1988. The Skookum Rotary Club assisted the money raising efforts. T-shirts and buttons were sold, many breakfasts were also served. These and other efforts netted approximately $250,000.
In 1988, the center relocated to the second floor of the brick building at the corner of 7th and Franklin Streets, which was the Faith Lutheran Church. Pat Babnick started her 7 plus years as Director in 1989 at this site.
The original intent for the funds raised was to build a new center. However when the Sears vacated its facility on Railroad at 9th, the center again relocated. The original intent for the fundraising was to build a new facility, instead, MCSAA bought the building at Railroad and 9th and the vacant lot on Franklin at 7th Street. The mortgage was paid off in August 1996.
Our third Director, Cheryl McCoy, began her tenure in 1996 and continued until 1997 when Karen Popke took over in 1997. The vacant lot at 7th and Franklin was sold in 2006 after plans to build a new Center were determined not to be feasible. Fred Corbett became the fifth Director, serving from 2007 to 2009. The current and sixth Director is Terri Shaw.
