Board Connection YMCA - YMCA of Greater Charlotte

YMCA
Board Connection
AUGUST NEWS FOR YMCA BOARD MEMBERS
IN THIS ISSUE
Campers wrap up the best
summer ever
Y launches Get Fit Together
campaign
Safety Around Water surprise
Volunteer honored for
Y service
Partner Spotlight: PwC
Staff named CIO of the year
Funding updates
BEST SUMMER EVER
We closed the books on another great summer of camp!
Kids and teens said goodbye to their fellow campers, cabin mates
and counselors for the last time on August 26. Our branches and
resident camps have been working hard for 11 weeks this summer
to provide transformational experiences and foster friendships that
will last a lifetime.
Here’s a look at our summer, by the numbers:
ON THE CALENDAR
September 10
Morrison Metric
September 17
C2 Survival Race
September 30
A Night Out for Johnston
October 14
A Taste of Simmons
 15,538 unique campers served
 Over 5,000 campers served each day
 $1,657,235 financial assistance given to campers in need
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 1,025 camp counselors employed for the summer
View past newsletters.
 291 lifeguards kept watch of our 32 pools & 3 lake fronts
Summer at camp is the best. Kids build friendships, learn new skills
and develop confidence, all while having a blast. Parents and kids
agree – summer at the Y is the place to be. Watch >>
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GET FIT TOGETHER
The Y is more than a gym or place to take swim lessons. The Y
provides a sense of belonging and helps people of all ages, abilities
and incomes reach their full potential. As part of the Get Fit Together
campaign, our 19 membership locations will give targeted community
groups an opportunity to experience the Y for a week, on us. The
campaign launched in June offering teachers the chance to unwind at
the pool after a busy school year. In July, we encouraged millennials
to get social using the hashtag #GetFitTogether, followed by a focus
on college students in August, helping them make community
connections and settle into life away from home. In the coming
months, we will offer this opportunity to first responders and military
veterans as a way to welcome them to the Y and thank them for their
service to our community.
SAFETY AROUND WATER SURPRISE
Safety Around Water was
featured in early August
on WCCB Charlotte’s
Wilson’s World. The
segment highlighted the
importance of water
safety instruction and the
program’s impact this
summer across 20
apartment communities.
Wilson surprised our very
own Laura Ferguson,
Association Director of
Program Development, by naming her the latest Wilson’s Moment of
Good award recipient. Laura received a $500 visa gift card, which
she used to purchase school supplies for SAW participants who are
heading back to school. We are grateful for Laura’s leadership in
making water safety accessible for all in our community.
VOLUNTEER HONORED FOR Y SERVICE
You may remember Jeff Balek, one of our stellar Y Readers
volunteers. Blind since birth, Jeff uses twin vision books to read
along with students, reading a page in braille while they read aloud
the print. In August 2014, Jeff was featured in the Huffington Post for
his commitment to Y Readers. This August, he was honored again as
the recipient of the Nish Jamgotch Humanitarian Award. This annual
honor recognizes a local
individual or group whose
creative achievements elevate
the quality of life and show
promise of enhancing the dignity
and well-being of humankind.
Congratulations to Jeff, whose
continued service proves that
obstacles are no match for those
who truly want to give back.
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
The Y is grateful to work closely
with dedicated corporate partners
like PricewaterhouseCoopers.
PwC supports Y Readers both
financially and through volunteer
engagement. Together, we’ve
aligned PwC’s philanthropic goals
with meaningful ways for their employees to give back. Take a look
at why they give, in their own
words. Watch >>
STAFF NAMED CIO
OF THE YEAR
We are proud to announce that our
very own VP of Information
Systems and IT, Kevin Devitt was
recognized as the Charlotte
Business Journal’s Chief Information Officer of the Year in the
nonprofit category. This annual
award honors Charlotte’s top leaders who use information technology in innovative ways to optimize
business processes, enable growth,
create competitive advantages and
improve customer experience.
FUNDING UPDATES
 Y Achievers received a grant of
$35,000 from the Wells Fargo
Foundation. We are thankful
for the continued investment in
college readiness and workforce development, which
Wells Fargo has supported
since 2013.
 Camp Harrison received
$10,000 as part of Aaron’s
“Own Your Summer” camp
scholarship program.
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