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An Inspiring Tribute to 50 Years of LUM


Honoring the Legacy & Impact


On Friday, April 8, 2022, the friends of Lafayette Urban Ministry gathered at the Long Center (Lafayette, IN) for the LUM 50th Anniversary Celebration. The event honored the legacy of Lafayette Urban Ministry with a lighthearted evening filled with uplifting stories, live entertainment, refreshments & good company. 

The attendees filled the Long Center and included leaders, community partners, volunteers, donors and clients spanning the entire 50 year history of LUM. They were fully engaged the entire evening, often singing along and on their feet with excitement. The program was hosted by LUM executive director, Wes Tillett with narration from Mike Piggot. There were several visual presentations with congratulatory messages from volunteers, clients and community leaders; client success stories; and the oral history of LUM past and present featuring former LUM executive directors the Rev. Jud Dolphin and Joe Micon.


One of the highlights of the evening was the live entertainment. The show included a duet by Onyx Uzomah & Derrick Williams-Bacon, an ensemble featuring Linda Hicks & friends (Jim Brehm, Sharon McKnight, Sam Cody & Hunt Wiley), Briton Weise, the LUM Children’s Chorus featuring LUM students, LUM Ecumenical Choir directed by Eileen Weiss and featuring singers from more than 20 local churches. Jeff Goodspeed (piano) and Larry Guentert (drums) provided accompaniment throughout the event, and the social hour featured the West Lafayette High School String Quartet. The event also included volunteer recognition and 2021 LUM Star Volunteer awards presented by the Rev. Dr. Gladys Nwabah and Rev. Lucia Oerter, and an acknowledgement of the event sponsors by Wes Tillett.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from this event go to the LUM Good Samaritan Fund. The LUM Good Samaritan Fund provides local individuals, families and children with a financial safety net when in crisis – and is not used for any administrative expenses. In 2021, the Good Samaritan Fund helped 1,309 families; provided financial assistance in averting eviction, utility disconnects and other crises 2,018 times; and distributed $196,198.

The LUM 50th Anniversary Celebration kicks off a yearlong series of events commemorating LUM becoming a recognized nonprofit in 1972. If you are not able to attend this event, you still have an opportunity to invest in the next 50 years of Lafayette Urban Ministry in its quest to “tackle basic human needs and uplift the people of Greater Lafayette.” One hundred percent of the net proceeds from this event go to the LUM Good Samaritan Fund, which provides local individuals, families and children with a financial safety net when in crisis. To make a 50th anniversary donation to the LUM Good Samaritan Fund, click the button below, go to LUMserve.org/50th-anniversary or call or email LUM (765-423-2691 | lum@LUMserve.org).


In 1972, a small group of dedicated individuals successfully incorporated a new social services agency in Tippecanoe County — Lafayette Urban Ministry. Mark your calendars and plan on joining us to honor the leadership, shareholders, programs & services, and impact of Lafayette Urban Ministry for the last half-century.


Tackling Basic Human Needs &
Uplifting the People of Great Lafayette


LUM also invites you to be a part of the vision for the next 50 years, which will include an in-depth and strategic look at the sustainable future for Lafayette Urban Ministry as a valuable asset to the people, families, and children in our community for generations to come.

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