Both directly and indirectly, Christian evangelist Billy Graham’s legacy connects back to Albert Lea. Graham died Feb. 21.

It linked directly because Graham helped birth Youth for Christ, an organization founded with the original purpose of ministry to youth and servicemen during World War II, according to a press release from Youth for Christ.

“We stand on the shoulders of Dr. Graham’s legacy of innovation and passionate drive to communicate with young people around the world,” said Dan Wolgemuth, president of Youth for Christ/USA, in a press release. “Mr. Graham’s gifted style was considered ‘edgy’ in the ’40s so it, of course, appealed to young people. Today, Youth for Christ continues what Dr. Graham started by loving and engaging young people in relevant, authentic conversations through the latest technologies and the life-changing power of story — God’s story and their story.”

It affected the area indirectly because Graham was part of the inspiration for Richard Thunstedt, who started Albert Lea’s Youth for Christ chapter.

“(Graham) was really a Bible-thumping evangelist, and he carried that out all through his career,” Thunstedt said.

Prior to his move to Alden in 1957, Thunstedt said he and his wife attended a Graham rally in Los Angeles.

“It was a big tent crusade, with sawdust on the floor and everything else like that,” Thunstedt said.

Thunstedt said he was involved with Youth for Christ in Los Angeles prior to attending the rally.

“When we moved back to Alden in 1957, the Lord put it upon my heart that I should get something started,” Thunstedt said.

Youth for Christ in Albert Lea was started in 1960. The chapter has seen growth. Currently, Youth for Christ in Albert Lea works with about 1,400 children a year, said  Greg Gudal, executive director of south-central Minnesota Youth for Christ. He said the organization’s focus on outreach and evangelism is still “like Billy Graham wanted, way back then.”

“Certainly he was about evangelism and about truth and integrity and humble, and I guess was a good example that way to try to follow, and certainly his passion for evangelism is what is still in the organization today,” Gudal said.