The days are winding down at the Manteca Senior Center for John Boore.
He’s the retired community service manager who continues to work part-time at the facility located at 295 Cherry Lane.
Boore stepped down from the post in March. But he’s remained aboard to help ease the transition for Brandy Clark.
As for his official last day, Boore will leave the Manteca Senior Center at the end of December.
“I have plenty to keep me busy including the grand kids,” he said on Monday.
It was over 15 years ago that Boore was hired at the center as the program recreation coordinator. He was at the YMCA in Stockton, serving as the CEO from 1981 to its 1994 untimely closing.
“It was very disheartening to a lot of people when it closed,” recalled Boore, who started there in 1979 as the one in charge of the overall operation of the physical fitness and adult exercise programs.
Prior to that, he was a teacher and physical education instructor for the San Juan Unified school district, where he also coached softball and boys basketball during his four years there.
Boore was born in St. Joseph, Miss., but moved to Stockton for kindergarten. He graduated from Lincoln High, did time in the military, and attended college at Sacramento State.
He moved back to Stockton, where he spent 15 memorable years at the YMCA.
Boore took part in various activities and got to know several of the who’s who in local and national sports scene.
For example, he played on the YMCA’s U.S. Volleyball Association squad consisting of University of the Pacific products such as Leonard Armato (sports agent / CEO and tour commissioner of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour), Paul Demsher (long-time Tracy High boys basketball coach), and Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawk coach and former USC football coach), to name a few.
At the time, Carroll was a UOP coach when the school still had its football program intact.
“He only played a few games with us,” recalled Boore, who was also among the regulars for the pick-up basketball games.
His time at the YMCA coincided during a golden age of boxing. Boore is a long-time fan of the sweet science.
“My father used to take me to the fights at the (Stockton) Civic Auditorium,” he said.
Alvaro “Yaqui” Lopez, who was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame a few years ago, was a regular of his club. He trained at the YMCA for many of his memorable light heavyweight championships (Lopez fought five times for the crown, coming up short to the likes of Matthew Saad Muhammad and the late Victor Galindez).
In 1981, the handlers of Rafael “Bazooka” Limon approached Boore for use of the YMCA in preparation for their big fight against Cornelius Boza Edwards.
The memorable Junior Lightweight bout was aired on ABC’s Wide World of Sports with the legendary Howard Cosell at ringside.
Boore was also at ringside for the fight won by Edwards in a 15-round decision. His ticket was compliments of the Limon camp as a show of appreciation.
Joined Manteca
Senior Center in 1995
For Boore, retirement was not an option when the YMCA closed its doors. In the spring of 1995, he found a new home at the Manteca Senior Center.
“I was very fortunate to be part of a place that was greatly supported by its seniors and elected officials,” Boore said.
He also credited the efforts of the over 100 volunteers for its success. The result of that is the center attracting over 200 folks, with some coming from Stockton, Oakdale, Ripon and Escalon.
Boore, who lives in Stockton, has been inspired by the volunteer efforts that he, too, plans to spend his retirement days doing likewise in his community.
Looking back, he’s proud of his work at the Manteca Senior Center. Included are the expansion project of 10 years ago – 3,000 square feet was added thanks to the already 10,000-square-foot facility constructed in 1988, with the funding made possible via grants – and the fitness center completed two years ago.
The fitness center at the center was also made possible by grants. Over 200 members paid the $1 one-time use fee for the facility featuring a cardio theater and consisting of stationary bikes, elliptical machines, and weight stacks.
Under Boore’s watch, the senior center added more exercise classes, from the popular “Zumba gold” – this fast-moving Latin dance class is specifically designed for seniors – to Tai chi and yoga.
These days, Boore continues his routine of going to the gym every morning. He jokingly calls it an “executive workout” of hitting the steam room, showering and shaving while at the In-Shape facility in Stockton.
For the past 30 years, he’s played golf recreationally at the Van Buskirk Park Course.
Boore plans to stay busy even in retirement.
He’s the retired community service manager who continues to work part-time at the facility located at 295 Cherry Lane.
Boore stepped down from the post in March. But he’s remained aboard to help ease the transition for Brandy Clark.
As for his official last day, Boore will leave the Manteca Senior Center at the end of December.
“I have plenty to keep me busy including the grand kids,” he said on Monday.
It was over 15 years ago that Boore was hired at the center as the program recreation coordinator. He was at the YMCA in Stockton, serving as the CEO from 1981 to its 1994 untimely closing.
“It was very disheartening to a lot of people when it closed,” recalled Boore, who started there in 1979 as the one in charge of the overall operation of the physical fitness and adult exercise programs.
Prior to that, he was a teacher and physical education instructor for the San Juan Unified school district, where he also coached softball and boys basketball during his four years there.
Boore was born in St. Joseph, Miss., but moved to Stockton for kindergarten. He graduated from Lincoln High, did time in the military, and attended college at Sacramento State.
He moved back to Stockton, where he spent 15 memorable years at the YMCA.
Boore took part in various activities and got to know several of the who’s who in local and national sports scene.
For example, he played on the YMCA’s U.S. Volleyball Association squad consisting of University of the Pacific products such as Leonard Armato (sports agent / CEO and tour commissioner of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour), Paul Demsher (long-time Tracy High boys basketball coach), and Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawk coach and former USC football coach), to name a few.
At the time, Carroll was a UOP coach when the school still had its football program intact.
“He only played a few games with us,” recalled Boore, who was also among the regulars for the pick-up basketball games.
His time at the YMCA coincided during a golden age of boxing. Boore is a long-time fan of the sweet science.
“My father used to take me to the fights at the (Stockton) Civic Auditorium,” he said.
Alvaro “Yaqui” Lopez, who was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame a few years ago, was a regular of his club. He trained at the YMCA for many of his memorable light heavyweight championships (Lopez fought five times for the crown, coming up short to the likes of Matthew Saad Muhammad and the late Victor Galindez).
In 1981, the handlers of Rafael “Bazooka” Limon approached Boore for use of the YMCA in preparation for their big fight against Cornelius Boza Edwards.
The memorable Junior Lightweight bout was aired on ABC’s Wide World of Sports with the legendary Howard Cosell at ringside.
Boore was also at ringside for the fight won by Edwards in a 15-round decision. His ticket was compliments of the Limon camp as a show of appreciation.
Joined Manteca
Senior Center in 1995
For Boore, retirement was not an option when the YMCA closed its doors. In the spring of 1995, he found a new home at the Manteca Senior Center.
“I was very fortunate to be part of a place that was greatly supported by its seniors and elected officials,” Boore said.
He also credited the efforts of the over 100 volunteers for its success. The result of that is the center attracting over 200 folks, with some coming from Stockton, Oakdale, Ripon and Escalon.
Boore, who lives in Stockton, has been inspired by the volunteer efforts that he, too, plans to spend his retirement days doing likewise in his community.
Looking back, he’s proud of his work at the Manteca Senior Center. Included are the expansion project of 10 years ago – 3,000 square feet was added thanks to the already 10,000-square-foot facility constructed in 1988, with the funding made possible via grants – and the fitness center completed two years ago.
The fitness center at the center was also made possible by grants. Over 200 members paid the $1 one-time use fee for the facility featuring a cardio theater and consisting of stationary bikes, elliptical machines, and weight stacks.
Under Boore’s watch, the senior center added more exercise classes, from the popular “Zumba gold” – this fast-moving Latin dance class is specifically designed for seniors – to Tai chi and yoga.
These days, Boore continues his routine of going to the gym every morning. He jokingly calls it an “executive workout” of hitting the steam room, showering and shaving while at the In-Shape facility in Stockton.
For the past 30 years, he’s played golf recreationally at the Van Buskirk Park Course.
Boore plans to stay busy even in retirement.
