“For we are taking pains to do what is right.” – 2 Corinthians 8:21
Late Friday afternoon, I received Toko Thompson’s [Vice President and Chief Financial Officer] financial summary, which she sends weekly to the finance committee of our board of directors. As the fiduciary stewards of our organization, this committee monitors Toko’s weekly summary very closely. In this report, Toko included the much-anticipated February financials; unfortunately, the results indicated we were continuing to fall further behind in our financial position. After two months, we have produced an $800,000 negative variance. Though I had been tracking our performance closely throughout the month and knew where we stood, I was still hopeful the results might have been a bit better.
Toko also shared with me that the finance team is continuing to adapt to Salesforce, and assures us that by April, the processes will proceed much smoother. She pointed out the childcare revenue accounting has been particularly difficult and continues to put a strain on Marty Ollett [Administrative Manager, Child Care] and the childcare membership team. The processes in childcare are very complex, as our team works hard to accommodate the many options our families need.
Though there have been many challenges with the transition from Daxko to Salesforce, I do believe it will create efficiencies and provide transparency of information, as demonstrated in the first program registration conducted a couple weeks ago. The amount of staff time expended was considerably less than in the past. In addition, the detail surrounding member credit card data was uncovered, a long-standing problem, which we will now be able to more effectively address. The advantages notwithstanding, our team has endured great pains to get Salesforce online and functioning well, and I deeply appreciate your efforts. Thank you, Toko, Bruce Caudill [Vice president and Chief Information Officer], Tara Harkness [Executive Director, Child Care], Marty, your respective teams, the community center membership teams, and the engagement center; your efforts have positioned us to have significant advantages in our future. You have made a very important contribution to our Y.
Mentally processing the $800,000 financial shortfall is not easy for any of us. I know you are all paying attention and giving everything you have to rebuild our Y. Your effort and devotion to serving is humbling and inspiring; I draw from each of you on a daily basis. There is no quit in this team, you are determined, and your commitment is what will drive us forward. The positive signs are there.
This past weekend, youth sports returned to our communities. I could not get enough of the videos and photos being sent to me, capturing youth playing soccer across our association on Saturday. Our youth team gave the families and our Y a jolt of energy, which is catapulting us forward. Thank you, Kory Eggenberger [Senior Youth Director, Lakewood Y], Kyle Eggenberger [Executive Director, Mel Korum Y], Matt McDonnell [Senior Youth Director, Gordon Y], Dori Drllevich [Senior Youth Director, Bremerton Y], Edie Metz [Senior Youth Director, Tom Taylor Y], and the youth departments throughout our association, for bringing a renewed vitality and hope to our association.
Having 500 youth participating in youth sports, hundreds more in gymnastics and the arts, along with 1,000+ in swim lessons assures us that our members do want to return to the activities they participated in pre-COVID. However, comments from the member survey have indicated many more are waiting for a greater prevalence of the vaccine and the safety they sorely need in order to return to the Y. The reports from the Health Department demonstrate the incidence of cases of the virus have come down significantly, with more and more people receiving the vaccine. As Brian Flattum [Vice President and Chief Operating Officer] shared during last Friday’s “Staying Connected” call, he and his team were asked to provide recommendations to the governor’s task force to help formulate phase 3 guidelines. This is an extremely exciting turn of events.
On Friday afternoon, Scotty Jackson [Executive Director, Camp Seymour] sent me an email indicating schools in the Peninsula School District were interested in the virtual outdoor environmental education program Scott Gjertson [Senior OEE Director] has been perfecting. In addition, Tacoma and Clover Park School Districts are asking us to offer programs in the schools, starting this fall or sooner. This is a very significant opportunity for us to serve youth and explore an addition to our business model. Tara has done a great job of earning the trust of school districts, as has Chris Spivey [Executive Director, Community Learning and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] and the CCI team, as well as the Camp Seymour team. Now there is an opportunity for our Y to work together, as One Y, along with the schools to bring our Y to more youth. Brian has scheduled meetings with representatives from various departments throughout our association. I feel very good about what we will create, building on the great work already being performed by our Y.
A week ago, I collaborated with the financial development team to send a business report (of sorts) to approximately 2,500 donors. The intent of the message was to inform them of our financial position, thank them for their support, and establish the critical need for their continued support in 2021 and beyond. In 2020, we raised over $2 million in private donations; for 2021, we have raised approximately $725,000 to date. The response from the letter has been extremely powerful; we have received an outpouring of support from our donors, assuring us they will stand strong with the Y. I remember attending trainings early in my career emphasizing the importance of the Annual Campaign to the Y. The training highlighted the campaign as being a litmus test for how strong a Y is in the community; specifically, “does the community view its Y as being vital to the quality of life of its residents, enough to reinvest in it on an annual basis?” From the initial responses to the letter, it feels as if our community does believe strongly in our Y and will stay with us to sustain the work we are doing.
Receiving such a positive response from our donors was very uplifting and reassuring, but there was something even more powerful hidden in their responses, and to a person, they were grateful to receive a transparent message, even as difficult as the truth may have been. In a way, that may seem to be an understatement, but it was uncomfortable to present our Y in a weakened state. For years, the community has celebrated the fact we had the strength to address the many needs existing in our community. On this occasion, though, I shared the hard truth with them. I felt I needed to be transparent, but as hard as that was to do, I shared how proud I am of our Y and what we continue to do in and for the community. I shared about the great things all of you are doing on a daily basis, and to a person, the responses were filled with gratitude for all of you. They know what you are doing on behalf of them and their families. Thank you; I am truly humbled by your commitment.
#StayStrong #StayWithUs