Students, athletes and alumni gathered to celebrate the hard work it took to successfully upkeep the Wildcat Recreation Center (WREC) over the past decade. The iconic Chico State gym officially turned 10 years old on Thursday.

Before the event commenced, guests were greeted by Willy the Wildcat and an assortment of refreshments. Hundreds of attendees filled the lobby of the WREC to rejoice and reminisce on the shared impact the center has had on their lives.

It was apparent that the WREC is much more than a gym to people— it’s a place where students can go to release stress and an outlet for those who face personal life struggles.

The director of the WREC, Curtis Sicheneder, opened the event by discussing the WREC’s history and the process that led to its establishment.

“Ten years is a long time and a lot of work had to happen to get to this point today and a lot of work had to happen prior to ten years ago,” Sicheneder said. “There are so many people to thank, first and foremost to the students, you voted for this, you pay for this, you made it possible.”

Sicheneder introduced the Acting Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Sandy Parsons-Ellis to speak. Ellis described the WREC’s effects on student life, adding statistical proof that students inherently perform better while frequenting the WREC. She explained how the university has observed a visible correlation between high GPA scores and WREC participation.

“Students who use the WREC get a bump in their GPA and persist 8% more than students who don’t use the WREC,” Parsons-Ellis said. “It’s an honor to be a witness to all of this great work.”

Associated Students President Trevor Guthrie shared how the WREC impacted his life personally and changed him for the better.

“Self-care is extremely important, especially in these unprecedented times students face,” Guthrie said. “The WREC is an opportunity for students to take care of themselves, to grow themselves, and to set themselves up for success.”

Guthrie went on to explain how the WREC not only helped him physically but also gave him the tools he needed to persevere through troublesome times in his life. The WREC also supplied Guthrie with food resources, through the pop-up pantry and other amenities he couldn’t access on his own.

To learn more about the WREC or resources the center provides, information can be found on their website.

Melissa Joseph can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @melisstweetz.