Under the Tolsons' guidance, the center became a pillar of Elkhart’s African American community. The Tolsons accomplished this by running the programs, organizing community events, and using their own resources to ensure opportunities for the people they served. For example, the Tolsons used their own vehicles to transport children to summer camps and were available to drive ill and expectant mothers to the hospital. After running the Booker T. Washington Center for 15 years, Herbert and Ruth Tolson resigned their positions and, shortly after, the center closed.The Tolsons' impact on the lives of African Americans in Elkhart is still felt today. They are remembered with a community center that bears their name.