At the very heart of our YMCA is the Christian mission and dedication to building character in our children, youth and teens through quality programs. This past year the YMCA touched the lives of more than 15,000 residents of our county. That number in and of itself is pretty incredible but when you learn that over 60 percent of youth ages 6-17 in our primary market area participate in some “Y” program you can rest assured that our YMCA has a positive impact on the youth in our community. Or can you?

A couple weeks ago I met with the Dekko Foundation. In the course of conversation we discussed our strong emphasis on Christian Mission, implementation of Character Development and the growth of our staff and membership. During the conversation I was asked if all of this had made a real difference in the operation of the Y. I paused for several seconds and said yes…yes it had. When I arrived at the Y nearly four years ago we were calling the police every weekend as fights broke out in the gym. We had 2-3 thefts per day in the locker room, the vandalism kept us busy repairing toilets, sinks, showers, doors and windows. The staff lacked cohesiveness, provided poor service, and we didn’t have a reputation for a clean facility. The community was outraged that the Y had identified a child molester and so membership and program participation had declined.

While there is still plenty of room for improvement, I am thankful that in just four short years, I work with staff that are committed to our mission, exhibit strong character and are ready to serve our members and the community. Our board has wise and experienced professionals leading this great organization into a strong future. The growth and support of our YMCA can only be attributed to the outstanding support we receive from so many kind and generous neighbors. Thank you for all your support especially during the current economic situation.

However, this change is not nearly good enough. You see, on a regular basis the YMCA is unable to serve all children and adults because we do not have enough space to hold more classes and programs. In an effort to serve you better, the Board of Directors has initiated a capital campaign to acquire land, build a new facility, remodel Smith Street and North Webster and grow our endowment. The campaign is a part of a strong vision for “Building Healthy Futures and Preserving Community Values.”

Over the next few months you will surely hear much more information about this campaign and building project. My hope is that you will consider supporting this effort with your time, talent and treasures. It is a plan to serve our youth and community for generations to come.

Steve Jungbauer                                              

Chief Executive Officer                                                

The Kosciusko Community YMCA is a 501(c) 3 charitable organization. All contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.

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