5 PEOPLE OF INTEREST
BY WILLI MILLER
PHOTOS BY MARK DOLAN
It isnt easy to get Freddie Woolfork to talk about himself.
Just about any conversation with the marketing and devel
opment administrator for Gifford Youth Activity Center in
Indian River County sooner or later will get around to his pas
sion for his work.
His title has changed in the %0 years hes been with GYAC
but not his 'ob: increasing the number of youngsters served
and enhancing the programs available to them. Woolfork
uses what he calls the “broccoli and candy’’ method to
advance the academic levels of the young people.
Homework and tutoring +rst, then athletics, gardening and
the fun activities.
“Academics are the center’s top priority and a level of
academic e-cellence is re.uired to participate in the
recreational activities,’’ he says. “Indian River County is the
second most af/uent county in the state of Florida yet 02
percent of the 200 youth that attend the center each day live
below the poverty level.”
Woolfork, 55, could be called a modernday 5ied 5iper,
leading community leaders to the doors of the center and
eliciting their +nancial support in “looking out for the wel
fare of the children and families we serve.‘’ Corporate and
private donations have made it possible for GYAC to e-pand
the services offered to an increasing number of families.
Those who observe Woolfork at work for GYAC might
wonder how he has time for his home and family, but he
makes sure there’s balance between his community responsi
bilities and his family. He and his wife, Debra Faye, have
three children and “two grandkids who take up all of my
.uality time.”
He saves a little time for his personal hobbies, none of
which involve 'ust sitting around with his feet up. Tinkering
with cars 9 his own 9 is tops on his list, followed by yard
work. His idea of rela-ation is pushing a lawn mower
around his yard for almost three hours, then “cutting and
trimming the landscape until it possesses a crisp, fresh
appearance.” 5laying his trombone in church and for
community events also makes the list.
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An accomplished musician, Woolfork is credited with
composing the Vero Beach High School +ght song, heard at
sports events. He earned his bachelor of science degree on a
music scholarship from Florida A=M ?niversity and now
plays trombone in the band at his church, St. 5eters
Missionary Baptist Church on @0th Avenue in Vero Beach,
every Sunday. “We have the walls shaking.’’ ?ntil recently
he worked with his former band director, Lawrence Trapp,
teaching youngsters to play.
Having July 2, 2005, proclaimed “Freddie L. Woolfork
Day” by the Indian River County Commission and the City
of Vero Beach and being selected by the 5astors Association
of Indian River County as its community volunteer of the
year are proud moments in his life, but living life simply and
giving a hand to those who need it are the things Woolfork
treasures most. Born in Indian River County to Cora and
Henry Woolfork “in a little place called Spillway, where the
health department is now,” he continues to be inspired by
them in his work and in his life. “They taught and inspired
their children to always strive to achieve their best. My dad
is no longer with us here, but his outlook on life will always
be with me.”
The
Fund-
Raiser