Jonathan Martin, chief executive officer of RoyOMartin, cuts the ribbon to the Ellis S. Martin Multipurpose Pavilion at the LSU AgCenter Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center during the dedication ceremony held Oct. 30. Pictured, from left, are Louisiana 4-H Foundation board chairman Charles Dill; Martin; former state Sen. Randy Ewing, and Patrick Tuck, 4-H Foundation executive director. (Photo by Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter)

POLLOCK, La. – After years of wishing, planning and fundraising, the multipurpose pavilion at the LSU AgCenter Grant Walker 4‑H  Educational Center became reality Oct. 31 with a dedication and ribbon cutting.

The building is named after Ellis S. Martin, father of Jonathan Martin, chief executive officer of RoyOMartin. The RoyOMartin corporation provided much of the funding for the project.

Jonathan Martin said the simplicity and functionality of the structure would have met his father’s approval.

“He would love this building,” Martin said. “What better way to have a lasting legacy for him.”

The 10,000-square-foot facility will provide indoor space for 4-H campers to gather and line up for lunch as well as be available for other activities for camps and other events.

LSU Vice President for Agriculture Bill Richardson said he learned the building was needed when former camp director Kim Landry told him campers didn’t have shelter from bad weather when they lined up to eat in the dining hall.

The result is an asset for the camp that will be used daily. “It’s a functional building that really looks nice,” Richardson said.

The project got off the ground after former state Sen. Randy Ewing took charge of fundraising from private sources. “When Randy Ewing gets involved, things start happening,” Richardson said.

Ewing said his efforts started as a recession began. “We just kept plugging away.”

He said 137 contributors stepped up to provide funding and in-kind services. “This is all about vision and stewardship.”

The RoyOMartin gift provided key funding that made the $1.2 million building possible.

The camp can provide life-changing opportunities for the 6,000 4-H Club members who attend the camp each summer, said Ewing, who attended Camp Grant Walker 61 years ago after he won a 4-H speech contest.

The pavilion will provide an excellent space for campers to gather in one location, said camp director Christine Bergeron.

The occupancy certificate for the building was issued Oct. 30, said Patrick Tuck, Louisiana 4-H Foundation executive director. “I know we are going to enjoy it for decades and decades to come.”

Tuck credited Dale Frederick of the LSU AgCenter Facilities Planning Office for keeping the project costs to a minimum.

RoyOMartin is the brand name of Martin Companies LLC, a group of family-owned companies. The corporation owns 570,000 acres of Louisiana timberland, making it one of the largest private landowners in the South. The company also donated 18 acres of land for the camp.