Drake Hougo noticed parents throughout Santa Clarita were sitting and watching their children playing sports. He thought a better idea would be to supply workout equipment to get them out of their seats. It was an idea based in affection for his community.
"I've lived here all my life, it's been good to me. I love Santa Clarita," says Drake. "So it's important to give things back to it, like making Santa Clarita fitter."
Drake had a great concept, but that concept needed lots of elements to come together. Number one on that list?
"The one thing I have to say with that is just perseverance, sticking with it. That was the biggest part, phone call after phone call," says Drake.
Raising the money, then buying and installing the equipment was a long process. And Drake faced many challenges that might have stopped others. At those times he remembered some of his favorite words of inspiration.
"'A lot of hard work is lost for the lack of a little more.' John Wooden said that," says Drake. "He's a big role model of mine. I kept thinking, 'OK, I know that this end is going to come. I just gotta keep on pushing and working hard.'"
Drake pulled together a huge network of people to accomplish a goal that could serve them all.
"All the people who donated, all my Boy Scout friends who came out and installed the equipment," says Drake. "It feels so great to know that we put that in and made an addition to our community."
Cool Kid Drake Hougo had a big idea and made it happen. And his community is better for it.
