Memory Keepers

Over its 62 years, the Regents Center gym held thousands of events showcasing thousands of talented athletes and musicians, drawing in countless enthusiastic spectators.

So when the gym closed its doors for good in February 2025 after more than six decades of hosting everything from Messiah performances and band and choir concerts to basketball, volleyball, and wrestling contests, Luther staff members knew they had to do something to help preserve the many memories the special space had fostered.

Ann (Bossard) ’98 and Jeremy Smith with son Domenik Smith

Even as college personnel were putting the finishing touches on plans for the new Gerdin Fieldhouse—a renovation of the Regents Center made possible by a $10 million lead gift from Michael Gerdin ’92 and Nicole Gerdin and the Gerdin Charitable Foundation—they also began researching how best to reclaim and reuse the gym’s maplewood floors and Douglas fir bleachers.

“Connecting alumni to a space in which so many had made memories was our top priority,” says Deanna (Rude) Casterton ’91, Luther Book Shop director, of determining what kind of merchandise to fashion from the wood removed from the gym. “Our second priority was continuing to raise funds for the renovation project.”

As she combed the internet and visited with others in the Luther community, a few ideas began rising to the top, including ornaments, plaques, backboards (with nets), shotskis, and bottle openers. Once the ideas took shape, all Casterton needed was someone to bring them to life.

Jeremy Smith prepares to reassemble pieces of the floor.

Enter Luther staff members Jeremy Smith and Ann (Bossard) Smith ’98—co-owners of JADE’S Custom Woodworking, LLC—and current members of Scouting America Decorah Boy Scouts Troop 66, which they’ve helped guide since moving to town with their son, Domenik, in 2018.  The couple knew immediately that beyond being a good fit for Jeremy, a skilled carpenter and woodworker, the project could provide valuable service and learning opportunities for Troop 66 members, who range in age from 11 to 18.

“It’s an excellent community-service project for them,” says Ann, Luther assistant dean of student success and director of accessibility services. “It’s also a unique chance for them to learn about local history.”

Troop 66 has been instrumental in transforming the maplewood floor into several pieces of the Reclaimed Wood Collection being sold through the Luther Book Shop. In fact, as Jeremy explains, the whole process begins with the scouts using crowbars to pry apart the tongue-and-groove floor planks so that he can restore the wood as closely as possible to its original state. “I have to remove any tar-paper residue, old wax, and dirt before sanding the pieces, reassembling them, and cutting them to size,” he says. “We put a lot of care into making sure we have a high-quality product, and the troop’s contribution is an important part of the process.”

Scouts of Troop 66 Decorah help transform Regents Center gym flooring into special keepsakes.

Jeremy and Ann agree that the scouts have enjoyed learning about woodworking through the project. They also point out that the experience counts toward earning the Woodwork Merit Badge, which in turn counts toward the 21 badges required to earn Eagle Scout designation. (Fun fact: Domenik Smith’s Eagle Scout project involved installing bike repair stations along the Trout Run Trail in Decorah.)

It’s a good thing the scouts have liked taking part in this special project because, as Deanna reports, it promises to keep them busy for some time to come.

“We are constantly restocking these items due to how popular they are,” Deanna says. “Many customers have told me they are thrilled to have a piece of the gym because they spent so much time making memories there.”

Items in the Reclaimed Wood Collection, made from Regents Center floors and bleachers

Items in the Reclaimed Wood Collection can be purchased online through the Luther Book Shop at ­lutherbookshop.com. All sales support the Gerdin Fieldhouse project. In addition to the items crafted by Jeremy Smith and Troop 66, the collection includes 13×13-inch five-point stars created by Jim Eckblad, professor emeritus of biology, and cornhole board sets made by Joe Raymond of Luther campus security. Both Eckblad and Raymond have donated their time and talents in making these items.

With a donation of $200 or more to the Gerdin Fieldhouse project, you can receive an exclusive piece of the floor handcrafted by Jeremy Smith and Troop 66. Visit luther.edu/­fieldhouse-floor to make a gift today.