LEBANON — The City Council unanimously approved a request to place a bench in memory of Jim Vanier in downtown Lebanon at its meeting Wednesday.
Councilors also agreed it also does not feel like a big enough way to honor the man who made an impact on countless Lebanon children.
“People who give of themselves the way that Jimmy did, that should be inspiring to other people,” Councilor Lori Key said in a recording of the meeting. “(…)I think we need to inspire the next Jimmy Vanier to come forward.”
Vanier, who died in December at 73, was youth center coordinator at the Carter Community Building for 50 years, mentored generations of Lebanon children and took over the Pat Walsh sneaker fund — named in honor of another Lebanon legend — to make sure Lebanon kids had sneakers, clothes and other things they might need free of charge.
The bench will be installed either on the pedestrian mall or in Colburn Park. City staff plan to work with Vanier’s friends and family who put together the request to set the exact location for the memorial.
The council’s decision was met with boisterous applause from a crowd of supporters in the otherwise often sparsely-filled council chambers.
Despite being “humble” and someone who would have likely spurned the idea of a memorial in his honor, Vanier “is a hero to a lot of people,” Peter Decato, a longtime Lebanon attorney and friend of Vanier’s who prepared the request, said at the meeting.
“I have four grandchildren,” Decato said. “If I’m in Lebanon and I have them, I’m going to go over to that bench or whatever it is and I’m going to say, ‘Let me tell you about this guy and how wonderful he was’.”
Decato and others also established the nonprofit Jim Vanier Youth Fund to continue to support kids in the community and plan to hold a Celebration of Life on Aug. 22 at Colburn Park.
In the future, the council hopes to discuss other ways to honor Vanier, such as potentially renaming Lebanon’s pedestrian mall in his honor.
Vanier had a “profound effect” on many Lebanon children, said Councilor Eric Cole, who spent a lot of time at the CCB with Vanier as a kid. While he certainly supports a bench, Cole agreed with other councilors that the gesture feels small in comparison to Vanier’s impact on the community.
“Jim was part of what makes Lebanon special,” Councilor Tim McNamara said. “I do think that deserves to be honored.”
