For Immediate Release
January 10, 2012
Contacts:
Tom
Van Deinse, GT Bay YMCA CEO, 933-9622
Henry
Peet, New Y Campaign Chair, 946-2184
Paul
Schmuckal, New Y Public Campaign Chair, 946-2800
Dream
for New Y Poised to Become Reality
Traverse City – With the start of
the new year comes news that 2012 is poised to be the year of the New Y.
In
five months time, more than 600 community donors stepped forward, contributing
$4 million in new gifts and pledges. These contributions met the challenge
pledge of an anonymous donor, who committed in early-fall to give $2 million, if
matched by an additional $4 million in gifts, thus allowing the Y to begin construction
on a planned 85,000 square foot community recreational facility.
YMCA
officials expect to begin the bidding process in the next several weeks and are
aiming to break ground this spring. Efforts to raise $12 million toward the New
Y began in 2007, with an eye on providing a family oriented full-service facility,
featuring tennis, swimming and fitness amenities.
“Like many fundraising efforts across the area,
we felt the effects of a down market in 2009 and donations slowed
dramatically,” said Marc Judge , Grand
Traverse Bay YMCA Board Chair. “However, as 2010 ended and 2011 began, a group
of dedicated volunteers reaffirmed their commitment and reignited the
campaign.”
Judge said this campaign committee went to
work, holding special celebrity events to raise the visibility of the campaign
and the awareness of the need for a New Y. This past summer, Janet Evans, a
five-time Olympic gold medalist who learned to swim at a Y, came to Traverse
City from her home in California. Additionally, this fall, another event
featured the Jensen Brothers, most famous as French Open Tennis champions, who
got their start in tennis at the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA while growing up in
Ludington.
“These events resulted in tremendous
region-wide visibility and newfound interest in the New Y campaign. They
sparked new, significant donations from local individuals in our community and
ultimately resulted in the $2 million challenge pledge,” said Judge.
Robert
and Phyllis Foster, the donors behind the challenge pledge, say they recognized
that something dramatic must happen to make the New Y a reality and decided
that a challenge would be a great way to encourage donors at all levels.
“This
is an investment in the community and we are thrilled to see all of the support
the community has shown for the Y,” said Rob Foster. “We are thankful for the
major gifts and are especially thankful for the people who stretched their own
giving abilities and made commitments at any level.”
Henry
Peet, New Y campaign chair, and Paul Schmuckal, New Y public campaign chair, credit
the Fosters for their generosity and for creating a concrete, defined,
momentum-building timeline.
“The
support of the challenge pledge donors was certainly critical to helping bring
the New Y dream to reality,” said Peet. “It created a sense of urgency and
created a ground-swell of support to raise the funds now!”
Tom
Van Deinse, YMCA CEO, added that more than 850 donors contributed gifts large
and small to the effort.
“We
reached the $4 million goal on the last day possible, so every gift of every
size can be seen as the one that made the challenge a success,” said Van
Deinse.
Foster
joined in acknowledging the many donors who contributed to the New Y effort.
“Recognizing
that there are more than 850 donors to this campaign gives us the confidence
that the community will continue to support this wonderful resource in the
future,” said Foster. “We are also thankful for and impressed by all those
behind the scenes who played a role in bringing this dream to reality,
including the dedicated campaign volunteers and the staff of the YMCA.”
Peet
announced that the tremendous outpouring of community support to meet the
challenge pledge will allow construction of the New Y to begin this year, but
added, “There remains the opportunity for everyone to become a part of this
success story. We anticipate additional support as people now realize that the
dream is becoming a reality. Many responded to and helped meet the challenge
pledge, others were key in the earliest stages of the dream for a New Y for
this region, and others can still take advantage of opportunities to support
the New Y.”
“We’re
very excited this 10-year dream of a New Y is finally becoming a reality,”
added Judge, “but the real goal is not the facility itself. It’s the programs
our communities need, like learn-to-swim and youth obesity prevention and family
fitness opportunities that will bring the greatest benefits. The New Y truly is
for everyone.”
For
more information about the New Y, go to www.gtbayymca.org
or contact Tom Van Deinse at 933-9622 or tvd@gtbayymca.org.
Donations are accepted at www.4good4ever.org.
All donations will be recognized unless otherwise specified and naming
opportunities are still available.
 |
| From left, Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation Executive Director Phill Ellis, Grand Traverse Bay YMCA CEO Tom Van Deinse, Board Chair Marc Judge and New Y Campaign Chair Henry Peet stand on the grounds of the future home of the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA on Silver Lake Road, which reached it's New YMCA Campaign fundraising goal.Traverse City (MI) Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump |
