Over the past five years, the United Way has contributed a little more than $190,434 to the Tyrone YMCA. The high amount of that span reached $40,911 in 2001 and the low was recorded last year with a $34,716 contribution.
\nThis year, the numbers figured to be a little different as the local chapter of the nation-wide, fundraising organization failed to reach its goal of $1.2 million.
\n\u201cRight now, we\u2019re at $898,959 and there is still some money we haven\u2019t put into the computer yet,\u201d said Kay Johnson, executive director of the United Way\u2019s Blair County chapter. \u201cIt looks as if we\u2019ll get a solid 80 percent, and hopefully more, but I can\u2019t guarantee that. We\u2019re a little disappointed.\u201d
\nAccording to Johnson, the United Way had hoped to give the YMCA $37,239 this year, but because of the shortfall, could only muster $25,785.
\n\u201cWe really hated to do that,\u201d said Johnson, \u201cand not only there. We had to cut funding from other places as well.\u201d
\nThe local chapter of the United Way serves 29 Blair County organizations.
\nDespite the cut in funding, YMCA Executive Director Amy Hampton said the situation would not affect the current slate of programming at the Y.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re definitely not going to cut any programs because of it and it won\u2019t affect our members in any way,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat it will do though is make us, the staff, become more creative and inventive in coming up with ideas to make up this difference.\u201d
\nAccording to Hampton, the timing of the news from the United Way makes this month\u2019s annual fund drive even more important.
\n\u201cJust because we didn\u2019t receive as much as we hoped to have had, it doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re just going to give up,\u201d she said. \u201cNow, it\u2019s that much more important that we reach our own goal.\u201d
\nThe YMCA has established $30,000 as its goal for the fund drive. Since Feb. 1, the organization has raised about $5,000.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re happy with that amount now, but that still leaves $25,000 between what we have and the goal,\u201d she said.
\nThis year\u2019s fund drive takes a different approach than in years past \u2013 possibly because the organization didn\u2019t reach its goal last year, which was also $30,000.
\nAccording to Hampton, about 40 volunteers have assembled and placed themselves into groups of five. Each of these volunteers are planning to speak, face-to-face, with five other people, regarding what the YMCA is and how important it is to the community.
\n\u201cLast year, we didn\u2019t reach our goal,\u201d said Hampton. \u201cWe used mailings and phone calls to work the drive, but we think the idea this year will be to go an physically speak to the people and let them know what we\u2019re really about and what we\u2019re trying to do. People will see how committed we are to this organization and the only way we can show that is to be there in person.\u201d
\nAccording to Hampton, the funds raised will be applied to operation costs of the facility.
\nCurrently, there are more than 700 members who enjoy the YMCA\u2019s facility and programming schedule, and if things go as planned, more members will be joining in the coming weeks.
\nThe push for new members began in early January, and since then, the organization has welcomed 30 new memberships. Through Feb. 28, anyone purchasing a new, one-year membership contract will receive 25 percent off the price. This includes, single, family and joint membership packages.
\nAccording to Hampton, the goal is just to get people through the door. She believes those who tour the facility would see the value of a membership.
\nTours are free and those who think they may be interested in a membership can apply for a two-week trial pass that will allow them to use the facilities and involve themselves in YMCA programming for two weeks, all free of charge.
\n\u201cWe have tons of programs that are ongoing now and expect to begin seven new programs in the spring and summer,\u201d said Hampton. \u201cA big misconception is that the YMCA is a \u2018kid\u2019s place,\u2019 but that\u2019s just not the case. Many adults use the facilities right along side the younger people who come here.\u201d
\nHampton also said the YMCA and its staff are always looking into ways to improve the facility. She said comments, suggestions and ideas are always being explored.
\n\u201cOur philosophy is just give it a try,\u201d said Hampton. \u201cEvery idea is just an idea until life is breathed into it. That\u2019s what everyone here is prepared to do.\u201d
\nAnyone seeking more information is encouraged to contact the YMCA at 684-2740.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Over the past five years, the United Way has contributed a little more than $190,434 to the Tyrone YMCA. The high amount of that span reached $40,911 in 2001 and the low was recorded last year with a $34,716 contribution. This year, the numbers figured to be a little different as the local chapter of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news-in-the-tyrone-pennsylvania-area"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47051\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}