Tyrone Area YMCA President Linda Hershey said this morning that YMCA board member Luke Rhoades is taking a sabbatical from the board to manage the Bellwood-Antis Community Pool this summer.
Hershey said the board was “excited” about the hiring.
Hershey also took time to explain the importance of the YMCA to the community, and even more so, the importance of the on-going annual fund drive.
“The community really needs to know how important this YMCA is not only to the young people, but also to Tyrone and the surrounding communities,” said Hershey. “You need to ask yourself the question: ‘If the YMCA was not here, where would the kids go?”
According to Hershey, more than 500 young people and several hundred adults pass through the doors of the Logan Avenue facility. She said they come from all over, including Alexandria, Huntingdon, Warriors Mark, Spruce Creek, Port Matilda, Tipton and Bellwood.
“Many people feel that if they pay for the program their child is involved in, that’s enough,” said Hershey, “but that’s not the case. A lot of the programs don’t even make money. That’s what makes this drive so important.”
This year’s goal is set at $36,000. However, Hershey explained that donations to the drive don’t specifically need to be applied to the operational costs.
“When we started this fund drive, we incorporated a building fund,” said Hershey, noting short-term growth plans are being required by the National YMCA, and collecting funding for a building plan meets these requirements.
“We wanted to try something so we can keep moving forward,” said Hershey. “The funds could be used for either renovating what we have, or building elsewhere.
“We’ve been here for 134 years and I’d like to see that tradition continue,” said Hershey.
She also said donations can be in the form of member sponsorship. She said this program allows the donator to sponsor the membership of a needy child who otherwise could not afford one.
Hershey said this morning that about $9,500 has been collected thus far.
