The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA New YMCA Capital Campaign received an anonymous gift this month for $250,000.A long-time supporter of the Grand Traverse YMCA and the New YMCA project is challenging new donors to contribute an additional $500,000 in a “$2 donation: $1 match” challenge.
“This kind of giving is remarkable in so many ways,” according to Henry Peet, New Y Campaign Chairperson. “The gift in and of itself is incredible and provides momentum to get us closer to building the New Y. Second, by creating a challenge, this gift will not only inspire others to give but will secure another half million dollars in gifts toward our goal.”
New gifts and pledges received until the end of 2011 will be counted toward this challenge.
“We are fortunate to already have approximately 325 donors give nearly $5.9 million to build the New Y,” said YMCA CEO Tom Van Deinse. “People have given gifts from $25 to $1.7 million with some 11 philanthropists giving over $100,000 each.”
“Recently Rotary Charities gave the New Y Campaign a matching gift of $325,000 because of the giving of other donors who matched this gift. This new challenge gift will help us to gain some of donations we need to build the New Y,” according to Van Deinse.“The plans are in place and we are ready to go. Once we get the balance of the donations we will be able to open the New Y in 12 months,” noted Van Deinse. “We just need the additional $6.1 million in donations. Every gift, regardless of the size, gets us ever closer to meeting the campaign goal and building the facility.”
Utilizing donations already received, the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA has constructed two athletic fields on the property in 2009. These fields will be used for lacrosse, soccer, and YMCA Pop Warner football. One hundred parking places were created to support traffic. “We built the fields because our Y programs needed them now. Soccer and football practice took place last fall on the fields. Isn’t it great that the first activity at the New Y was 5th and 6th graders playing soccer?” noted Barb Beckett, YMCA Sports Program Director. “Our region deserves a New YMCA!”
The New Y Essential Phase will feature a pool, six indoor tennis courts, fitness area, indoor/outdoor aerobics studios, outdoor tennis and pickleball courts, chapel, a child watch center, and enough supporting locker rooms, administrative, and lobby space to serve 35,000 program users in the region. It is located on 20 acres at the old Oleson buffalo farm site on Silver Lake Road in Garfield Township and will be over 100,000 sq.ft.“I get asked daily, ‘When are you going to build the New Y?’” said Dave Eitland, Y Director of Development. The answer is simple – “When we raise the funds.” Plans are finalized, the fields and parks are already in place, and all we need is donations to erect the building. It will only be through the extraordinary donations from many people throughout the Grand Traverse region that we will raise the additional donations needed and be able to start building in 2011.”
Donations to the New Y Capital Campaign can be made through the Community Foundation on-line at www.4good4ever.org or calling Phil Ellis, Executive Director of the Community Foundation at 935-4066.
There is more information about the New Y Campaign at the YMCA’s website at www.gtbayymca.org .
