Philip “Phil” Wasden’s dedication is the kind of local story that quietly shapes a community. A regular at the Lehi Legacy Center track for 22 years, Phil turned a 50-year-old realization into a lifelong tradition: running or walking a lap for every year of his life. That ritual, kept for three decades, led to thousands of visits (more than 3,800) and an estimated 11,600 hours of time spent building fitness and friendships on that very track.
More than just a fixture at the Legacy Center, Phil answered a call to serve first responders. Ten years ago he was asked to become a chaplain for the Lehi Police Department and went on to earn credentials through the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC). He progressed through the credentialing levels and just last week reached the ICPC Master Chaplain level, a milestone that recognizes advanced training and years of dedicated service to law enforcement chaplaincy.
Phil’s chaplaincy extended naturally to fire personnel as well after Lehi firefighters invited him to serve them; he then became credentialed with firefighter chaplain organizations too. The heart of his work is simple and profound: meet people where they are, offer presence during chaos, and help others find light after tragedy. He credits his late wife, Joyce Marilyn Gruwell Wasden, whose compassion shaped his approach. Her final words, “I love you more,” became his daily mantra and a reminder to tell loved ones they matter.
Phil’s message is for all of us: take time to smile, greet others, and lose yourself in the service of others. Whether on a track or at an emergency scene, small acts of kindness ripple outward, becoming the most meaningful measure of a life well lived.
