By Susan Shinn
Salisbury Post
The Hurley family has once again given a significant gift to the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA.
The Buck Hurley Youth Center, named after Gordon and Carolyn’s son, opens Wednesday.
Buck Hurley died five years ago.
“After Buck died, I was looking for something to do,” Gordon says. He was hoping to find more soccer fields for the Y, but the space never came available.Executive Director Sandy Flowers told him, “More than fields, we need more gym space.”Sandy had in mind a gym dedicated to members middle-school age and under. In the meantime, she learned about the Xrkade.
“Jimmy and I talked about it, and we felt we could do it all,” Gordon says of himself and his older brother.
Funds came from Gordon and Carolyn, Jim and Gerry, Buck’s brother Jeff, the J.F. Hurley Foundation and Holmes Company. In addition, Jim and Gerry Hurley provided the money for the Xrkade.
Charles Taylor donated the brick.
Jim admits to being a “sidewalk superintendent,” keeping Sandy on her toes during the long construction process.
“Gordon did most of it,” Jim says. “The family did some, Gerry and I did some. But he took responsibility for everything.”He took on the whole thing. We just helped a little bit.”
“You helped a lot,” Gordon says.
The brothers like the fact that their donation will touch a lot of people ó the Hurley Y has more than 11,000 members.
“Hell, you know you need more space,” Gordon says. “That’s a no-brainer.”
Just don’t ask the Hurley boys to play any of the games in Xrkade.
Jim recounts a recent trip with wife Gerry, where he tried to turn on the TV in their hotel room.
“The remote won’t work,” he told Gerry.
Her response?
“You might try pointing it at the TV and not the microwave.”