YMCA Strengthens Our Community
July 19, 2019
Countless people know the YMCA as a place to get healthy, but the Fayette YMCA is not just about fitness. More than just a place to swim, lift weights, or use a basketball court, the Y is a cause-driven nonprofit organization intent on strengthening the foundation and potential of our community.
Currently, the Family YMCA of Fayette County has 2,200 members, according to Ben Frazier , Chief Executive Officer. Although the largest portion of members are local, hailing from Vandalia, 40% of those Y members are from the outside corners of Fayette County and four surrounding counties of Montgomery, Bond, Marion, and Effingham.
“People need a place they can go to connect with others.” Frazier explains. “That’s the Y.”
No one is turned away from the Fayette YMCA due to their inability to pay. The organization ensures this by providing financial assistance to anyone who needs it.
Founded in 1982, the Fayette Y’s first program was a day camp with 54 participants. Today 1,300 kids take part in Fayette YMCA programs each year and nearly 60,000 people visit the Y annually. The Fayette YMCA is open seven days a week.
Younger and older generations, men and women, and people of every degree of fitness and capability come to the Y to not only seek a better life, but better living by building relationships that deepen a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves. The Y’s impressive facility, located at 710 Rock Island Avenue in Vandalia, was opened in 2010 through a $1.5M grant from the Old Capitol Foundation of the The FNB Community Bank of Vandalia.
The Family YMCA of Fayette County was made possible through generous donations from the Old Capitol Foundation and the community Over 150 contractors, businesses, local organizations and individuals also helped make the Simma-Kelly Community Center a reality. Annual sponsorships from local businesses help to ensure the continuation of its services.
“Our donors are wonderful,” shares Frazier, smiling fondly as he looks up at the large, colorful banners that line the Y’s fitness center. “They recognize that our community is so deserving and that its potential is limitless.”
In 2014, the Dee Dee Hartz Memorial Playground and Pine Ridge Homes Pavilion were added to the Y’s footprint along Rock Island Avenue
Since the grand opening of the Y’s new building, several additional projects have taken place, resulting in a new playground area, pavilion, dojo, racquetball court, walking trail, outdoor fitness stations and purchases of new fitness equipment.
The Y’s dojo offers karate classes for participants ages 6 to adult. Of course, every community faces challenges. But where some people see obstacles, the Y sees opportunities to make a difference.
“Take the sidewalks in Vandalia,” Frazier enthuses. “People need a walkable community, where safe trails and street crossings help encourage people to make the decision to actively engage in their community.”
Visible from the Y’s entryway, Kaskaskia College’s Vandalia Education Center resides just beyond an adjacent field
Creating a safe transit route that connects downtown, Veterans Avenue, and the region’s notable landmarks, such as The Y, Kaskaskia College Vandalia Education Center , Vandalia Park District and Pool, Vandalia School District, and Fayette County Hospital & Long Term Care is just one example of a project the CEO believes would strengthen the community.
“We’re taking a holistic approach to fulfilling our mission to build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all,” Frazier explains, “We want to connect families through overarching initiatives that focus on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility.”
Programs like the Special Olympics still have a place at the Y though. A volunteer-driven effort, there are currently 20 athletes who take part in golf, swimming, soccer, basketball, and bowling activities throughout the year.
The Fayette YMCA also enjoys a robust Leaders Club of boys and girls ages 12-18, who enjoy time together engaging in service projects, where they develop their potential as future community leaders, such as the making of blankets for residents at Willowbrook Memory Support Residences.
With a lean crew of just 40 committed staff members, the Family YMCA of Fayette County is operated largely through the efforts of 100+ volunteers, who serve as board members, coaches, referees, special event planners, fundraisers, and maintenance project managers. Through their support, the Y’s possible offerings are seemingly limitless.
From their Summer Swole Competition to the Community Appreciation Cookout and seasonal events like spring Healthy Kids Day, Grand Raffle, and fall Trivia Night at the Y, the organization is keen to lead the way in bringing people together through instances that enrich their lives, strengthen families, and forge lifelong bonds rooted in positive self-esteem and pride for the community.
When asked why the Y should be considered by those individuals and businesses who hope to give generously to a nonprofit making a difference in Vandalia, Frazier smiles broadly, retorting, “Why not the Y?”
“95% of our budget and 100% the donations that come into the Fayette YMCA are put directly back into the Vandalia community. We’re only restricted in our efforts to put our mission into practice by the resources available. Giving to the Y is an investment in a belief that together we can achieve anything.”