YMCA Announces Community Capital Campaign to Build New Facility
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
A kickoff for the community phase of the campaign was Thursday night at the site where the new YMCA will be built, at U.S. 30 and Mariner Drive.
It will be west of Combined Community Services and North Pointe Cinemas, and be visible from U.S. 30.
Those who attended the campaign event watched a video of artist renderings of the new facility and toured the site.
A banner was unveiled at the site stating it will open in Fall 2014.
The YMCA has already raised nearly $12 million toward that goal, and is now asking the community to support the $1 million public campaign goal, said Chad Zaucha, CEO of the Kosciusko Y.
The YMCA hopes to raise enough funds in the next six months to enable it to start building a 70,000-square-foot facility.
A groundbreaking for the new facility is expected this fall, but when actual construction begins depends on the success of the capital campaign.
The size, scope and timing of the new YMCA facility will ultimately be determined by the generosity of the community in support of this effort.
Mike Coon, YMCA board president, announced a dollar-for-dollar challenge grant from the Dekko Foundation.
From Thursday until December 31, the foundation will match each dollar contributed from individuals and businesses up to $400,000. This is part of its $1 million pledge announced earlier this month.
“This is a community project that requires community support,” Coon said. “It is up to all of us to grow and improve our community and look at new ways of helping our neighbors and ourselves be healthy.”
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and Rich Haddad, K21 Health Foundation president, spoke during the campaign event.
Thallemer said the YMCA will be a place for visitors to develop a sense of self.
“Having a place like the Y allows someone to come in and discover their own self and gives them a place to get rid of poor eating and smoking habits,” Thallemer said. “As the health of our community and state goes down it’s a problem with our work force, kids, and our community.”
K21 Health Foundation is one of the lead givers who donated $2 million toward the new Y. Other contributors have included Biomet, Depuy, Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation, and the Dekko Foundation.
Haddad spoke about the importance of a new YMCA.
“We made an investment in the Y because we believe a growing and vibrant Y is a game changer for the community,” Haddad said.
“This is a great day for our community to think about the opportunity to have a place that influences twice as many people as they can now,” Haddad said.
Initial plans for the new YMCA include a health and wellness center, lap pool, instructional warm water pool, multi-purpose gathering spaces, a youth and teen center, a double gymnasium and outdoor space for day camp.
Facility renderings, construction updates, campaign news and information on how to donate to the Shaping The Future Campaign can be found at www.kcymca.org
“This new Y is for the children, adults and families in our community. It will be a place for people from all walks of life to come together to gather and improve their quality of life,” said Zaucha. “Today’s celebration is all about uniting our community and inviting the residents to join us in this exciting campaign. The challenge grant from Dekko is a great way to ignite a spirit of giving and essentially double each dollar contributed from our community.”
The capital campaign is being conducted at the same time as the annual YMCA Community Support campaign, which provides financial assistance to children and families who can’t afford to pay program fees.
Last year the annual campaign made it possible for the YMCA to waive $136,686 in membership and program fees for families to be involved in YMCA programs such as swim lessons, gymnastics, summer camp, youth sports and after-school care.
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A kickoff for the community phase of the campaign was Thursday night at the site where the new YMCA will be built, at U.S. 30 and Mariner Drive.
It will be west of Combined Community Services and North Pointe Cinemas, and be visible from U.S. 30.
Those who attended the campaign event watched a video of artist renderings of the new facility and toured the site.
A banner was unveiled at the site stating it will open in Fall 2014.
The YMCA has already raised nearly $12 million toward that goal, and is now asking the community to support the $1 million public campaign goal, said Chad Zaucha, CEO of the Kosciusko Y.
The YMCA hopes to raise enough funds in the next six months to enable it to start building a 70,000-square-foot facility.
A groundbreaking for the new facility is expected this fall, but when actual construction begins depends on the success of the capital campaign.
The size, scope and timing of the new YMCA facility will ultimately be determined by the generosity of the community in support of this effort.
Mike Coon, YMCA board president, announced a dollar-for-dollar challenge grant from the Dekko Foundation.
From Thursday until December 31, the foundation will match each dollar contributed from individuals and businesses up to $400,000. This is part of its $1 million pledge announced earlier this month.
“This is a community project that requires community support,” Coon said. “It is up to all of us to grow and improve our community and look at new ways of helping our neighbors and ourselves be healthy.”
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and Rich Haddad, K21 Health Foundation president, spoke during the campaign event.
Thallemer said the YMCA will be a place for visitors to develop a sense of self.
“Having a place like the Y allows someone to come in and discover their own self and gives them a place to get rid of poor eating and smoking habits,” Thallemer said. “As the health of our community and state goes down it’s a problem with our work force, kids, and our community.”
K21 Health Foundation is one of the lead givers who donated $2 million toward the new Y. Other contributors have included Biomet, Depuy, Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation, and the Dekko Foundation.
Haddad spoke about the importance of a new YMCA.
“We made an investment in the Y because we believe a growing and vibrant Y is a game changer for the community,” Haddad said.
“This is a great day for our community to think about the opportunity to have a place that influences twice as many people as they can now,” Haddad said.
Initial plans for the new YMCA include a health and wellness center, lap pool, instructional warm water pool, multi-purpose gathering spaces, a youth and teen center, a double gymnasium and outdoor space for day camp.
Facility renderings, construction updates, campaign news and information on how to donate to the Shaping The Future Campaign can be found at www.kcymca.org
“This new Y is for the children, adults and families in our community. It will be a place for people from all walks of life to come together to gather and improve their quality of life,” said Zaucha. “Today’s celebration is all about uniting our community and inviting the residents to join us in this exciting campaign. The challenge grant from Dekko is a great way to ignite a spirit of giving and essentially double each dollar contributed from our community.”
The capital campaign is being conducted at the same time as the annual YMCA Community Support campaign, which provides financial assistance to children and families who can’t afford to pay program fees.
Last year the annual campaign made it possible for the YMCA to waive $136,686 in membership and program fees for families to be involved in YMCA programs such as swim lessons, gymnastics, summer camp, youth sports and after-school care.
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