Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.” (2 Corinthians 4:8)
“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” (Dale Carnegie)
I think I have expressed this sentiment a few times over the past three years, but periodically, I will reflect on how far we have evolved as an organization, particularly through the turbulence of the pandemic. It is probably an exercise that serves to reassure me that we truly have come a long way and have accomplished a great deal. I will hear from our staff, occasionally, that it has not been easy navigating all the changes we have made during this timeframe.
Recently, I have been in conversations about the integration of Pardot into Salesforce. It has been a challenging process and we will need to slow down before we can run fast (something that is not easy for me to do); however, in this case especially, it is very necessary if we want the tool to work for us in the long term. I firmly believe that optimizing Pardot to automate our marketing efforts, and target and deliver messages that address the unique needs of our members, will transform our Y, and this may require us to institute a decision-making process that enables us to make the best decisions along the way in order to build the system properly. While this step may slow us down a bit, we will get there and we will have built it in a way that ensures we are sustainable and not having to unravel the “workarounds” we tend to create for short-term success.
Prior to the pandemic, we, as a leadership team, along with the board of directors made the decision to switch from Daxko to Salesforce as our customer relations management (CRM) software. This was a very big, and well-thought-out, decision. Bruce Caudill spearheaded the effort, which included extensive research and countless meetings to identify the needs and wants of our staff. The product was well vetted and, due to the magnitude of the project both financially and its impact on the organization (particularly our staff), required approval by the board. We were clear, though, that this decision was not just about giving us a better version of what we had, but rather our intent was to introduce a product that would help us grow as an organization. For one, we knew we wanted to build a virtual platform as part of our Y and not just add an app that would give us the ability to offer an on-demand menu of program services. We were thinking bigger (though we were not clear what bigger totally meant).
Annie Doyle and the virtual team have been doing a great job continually redefining the virtual platform, introducing more and more aspects of our Y onto the virtual platform. Currently, the virtual team has built a menu that includes on-demand options, both from our Y and the YMCA360 network, but also looking ahead to include the wellness café and the capacity for live-streaming. Salesforce gives us an enormous capacity to develop the virtual platform. As Bruce says, Salesforce has a $2 billion research and development department, so imagining what we can be aligned perfectly with their way of work.
As good as that sounds, though, having such a sophisticated tool as Salesforce presents challenges. Scott Smith points out that when we switched to Salesforce we went from driving a Nissan Altima to a Lamborghini. There is a lot of horsepower in a Lamborghini and it will take time to adjust to it. As part of the adjustment, we will need new skills and a lot of support for our staff to operate it, but in the long run, we will be able to do things we could never do – or even imagine doing.
Bruce and Francisco Rivera, along with Tiffany Stewart-Harris and key membership staff, helped create over 80 videos to facilitate the learning process as we transitioned to Salesforce; however, it was, and still is, a transition for our Y. Tiffany continues to play a key role in assisting in this transition. Her previous experience in membership has helped us translate Salesforce for our organization. In addition, we brought on Val Eru as a senior Salesforce administrator, who has been doing some miraculous things behind the scenes to harness the power of Salesforce and help meet our needs. Yes, Salesforce’s sophistication is challenging to use, but that sophistication expands our capabilities and streamlines our processes. It gives us the ability to integrate all of our systems so we can build and utilize all the data we have. Integrating our systems allows us to do some miraculous things in marketing and communication as well as financial development.
When we were first researching the various CRM products, one of the considerations we were requesting was to make online Child Care registration possible. Not having this capability was a barrier for our families because it required them to come to the office to enroll their children. Salesforce gives us that capability but the integration has not been easy, particularly for Child Care’s Senior Member Services Director, Marty Ollett, and the entire membership team. Marty and her team have spent hours working through this process, along with Tiffany and Val (and still are), and they have made huge strides. Child Care families can now conduct their business matters conveniently without coming into the office, which is a huge benefit. Without Salesforce, we could not have added this component and we would not be able to advance our Y. Marty has shared that as challenging as the integration process has been, she does see the power of Salesforce and how it will benefit Child Care.
For the past eight months, Kris Jensen has been working hard to help expand our unified communications platform to elevate our capacity to engage with one another. One piece of that is our new intranet, which will provide a central location for information and content, hence the name YCentral. When Kris gave me a sneak peek last week, I was blown away by the many features that will give us the ability to communicate, share data, and have important information at our fingertips. It really is amazing. Now Kris’s role is to come alongside us so we get comfortable using it (much like when we first introduced Microsoft Teams in 2020). As is the case with every new tool, we will need repetition to gain comfort and truly harness its full capacity. Kris is determined for that to happen. Having a well-integrated internal communication platform is something we have been discussing for a number of years and it has now come to fruition thanks to Kris and the IT team. Alongside YCentral, Kris is focusing on introducing us to the communication tool now known as Viva Engage. Since this is the last emailed staff newsletter, I will be using Viva Engage for my communications (using either written or video posts). Kris has done a phenomenal job designing YCentral and creating communities in Viva Engage, gathering input from many different people to make them easy to use and fully meet our needs. We knew we needed to improve our communication platform in addition to creating a central location for the information pertinent to operate our organization, and this will only continue to grow. In her previous role, Kris served for 13 years as the executive assistant to the CEO, doing a great job and gaining a wealth of information on how our organization worked. She is also gifted in system operation, which positioned her well for this job. Similar to Tiffany, Kris’s unique skillset and knowledge base permitted her to shift within our organization and help us meet a need that strengthens our Y. I am very excited to see the impact these tools will have. A big shout out to Kris for her ability to adapt her skills to make us a better Y.
When we were in the throes of the pandemic, we made the determination that moving forward we would need to be a different organization in order to effectively operate in what was a new world, one that was different and rapidly changing. We knew the future was uncertain (and still is) so we needed to be nimble and flexible. We knew that this meant we would need different skills. Having a great IT team positions us well for that shift but we recognize that is only the half of it. The transition has been challenging for our team; however, I believe it will make us a better Y in the long run, one that can adapt to the new and changing world will live in. Equipping our staff team demands that we have a strong learning and development department. Fred Doehle recently joined our team; he has vast experience in creating training opportunities that can help us adapt to a changing workplace. Fred has only been with us for a few weeks but he is already jumping in to help equip us for what we need. When I was saying we would be a different Y coming out of the pandemic, I am not sure I totally comprehended what that meant – and I probably still do not because it is continuing to evolve and will probably continue to do so. This puts a lot of stress on you and the organization to continually be in a state of flux having to adapt to the skills required. Regardless, you continue to press forward and advance our organization, enabling us to operate. I am in awe of your resilience and determination; you are amazing! Thank you for your dedication and commitment. You are the true difference-makers enabling us to deliver critical services to our communities.
🗓 Posted on May 30, 2023 by Charlie Davis, CEO and President
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“But the greatest among you shall be your servant.” (Matthew 23:11)
“Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.” (anonymous)
This past week I received an email from the YUSA network highlighting the recent message from the Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy. It was a national health alert, drawing attention to the devastating impact of loneliness that was magnified by the pandemic. According to the research, one-in-two adults in America reported experiencing loneliness, and that was before COVID. Loneliness is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. “The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity.” The email I received was intended to elevate the role the YMCA plays in combating loneliness. We are great at welcoming all people into our centers and programs, and we do a great job of creating connection, a critical antidote to isolation.
Many Y’s around the country are making loneliness a rallying focus for their work, something that is understandable given the inherent premise for the Y, “we build strong communities.” It does feel like we are built to address the alienation brought on by the pandemic. I like the strategy of rallying around a focus for a short period of time. Patrick Lencioni, in his book, The Advantage, identified the short-term rally cry as a strategy that can energize an organization for up to a year, intensifying the aligned efforts of the employees. I particularly like this focus because of the very large number of baby boomers who have been retiring over the past decade. The baby boomers grew up understanding the importance of fitness in their lives, and have been part of the Y throughout their lives. Now, the boomers need to stay engaged and to find purpose in their lives. Janele Nelson, Association Mission Director, has shared that most of her volunteers in the Bridge of Hope work she, Jyot Sandhu, Marketing Program Manager, and Don Brevik, Youth and Government Program Director, are leading for our association, are comprised of boomers, who are excited to be engaged in such an important social issue. The Bridge of Hope will have impact, not only on unifying our communities but by engaging people in important work and giving them purpose.
I remember Janele sharing a story about one of the participants in the Healthy Aging Café that has been meeting every Tuesday, virtually, for the past three years. A woman, living in Spokane, had lost her son early in the pandemic and was isolated, something many people, particularly older people, were experiencing. She had grown despondent and was considering ending her life. She saw online a group of older people were getting together on a weekly basis and decided to join. The rest of the story was miraculous, as she immediately found herself included in a community that welcomed her in. Today, she is still part of that community and found a new purpose in her life. This is a powerful testimony about community and the virtual Y.
Annie Doyle, Association Virtual Experience Director, Daniel Ly, Videographer and Photographer, Christopher Borja, Videographer and Photographer, Michael Marquez, Operations Director, Bruce Caudill, VP Chief Information Officer, Janele Nelson, Association Mission Director, and the virtual task force team have continued to develop the platform and advance this work as an important strategy for our Y. The task force meets regularly to focus on integrating the virtual platform into our way of work. It is still something that is separate from in-person work, but there are many examples of how it has brought added value to our members and staff. The youth sports directors have introduced the use of virtual to offer information to the coaches, that will help them improve the practice sessions, offering them with drills and tools to instruct the youth. In addition, we have seen how Lauren Baklund, Association Member Experience Director, and Gabe Catalan, Member Services Director, have enhanced child watch with fun activities for youth to enjoy. It has been a huge hit. These additions definitely have enhanced our programs, but it is still just scratching the surface as to how the virtual can create an entirely new Y, where the virtual and the in-person work together to keep people engaged. The Y offers a tremendous breadth of programs, not only in our association but nationally. By being connected to a national platform in Y360, there is a whole world of connection people can enjoy by being a member of the Y. Both the Bridge of Hope and the Healthy Aging Café have utilized the virtual platform, and demonstrated how the virtual can effectively strengthen community. I get excited when I see how far this tool has evolved. It is a tribute to the hard work of our team, and the leadership of Annie Doyle.
Over the past few weeks, we have heard from a number of staff in the Staying Connected call, reporting on the enrollments of youth in our summer programming; day camp, resident camp, and the teen outreach we are doing in Tacoma and Lakewood. It is actually incredible how many youths we will be serving this summer, and this does not even count the youth who will be in our in-center programs such as in aquatics. It also understates our purpose as an organization, particularly now. The struggles the youth are experiencing are well-documented, with anxiety and mental health issues reaching scary levels, as well as the ever-increasing trend of youth obesity. This summer, we will be playing a critical role in the lives of thousands of youth across our service area. It feels as if we are called to respond to this critical social issue. When we consider the impact of loneliness, as well, it feels like we are being called for even more. I know we cannot be everything to everyone, it is a trap the Y falls into; by serving all ages, we try to do as much as we can, especially as the needs dictate urgent responses. When I step back, though, and think about the role we play and the impact we have, I am so proud of our team and the commitment all of you have to the people in our communities. You are doing such important work; you are saving lives. I do pay attention to the amount of work all of you are doing, and that we have enough resources to do the work. We are in a challenging time, and the community is turning to us for help. I am so honored to be part of this team. Thank you for your dedication and devotion. You are true servant warriors.
🗓 Posted on May 22, 2023 by Charlie Davis, CEO and President
Carl Cramer: So why the Y?
My involvement with the YMCA started in West Seattle where I grew up at about 6 years old. Life in the neighborhood was different then, and I had the opportunity to ride my bike just about anywhere in the West Seattle neighborhood that I could peddle to and be back by dinnertime!
The Y fit into that mold and I was an active member for about 6 years learning about the Y and playing all sports, gaining new friends and acquaintances with Y leaders. I earned funds and points to provide a week at Camp Orkila in the San Juans! (Seattle Y’s version of Camp Seymour) A really life-changing experience for me! Life was changing and I moved on to other adventures including work, school, and college, military service, raising a family, and taking over our business.
Moving to Bremerton for our business allowed me the opportunity to become involved in the Bremerton Armed Services YMCA. A different arm of the National YMCA but still promoting the same principals and the basic foundation that was primarily for the military and in Bremerton’s case the civilians also! Soon I was appointed to the Board of Directors, and then Chairman of the board for the first time! It was a struggle for this branch to survive as we had an enormous building (6 stories including resident rooms, pool, gymnasium, racquetball courts, dance rooms, and multiple meeting and offices which originally housed and serviced the military, but was no longer being utilized as the military was providing more services).
Working with the community leaders, the City of Bremerton, and the Armed Services leadership I quickly realized the need for change. Starting with our Board, we moved quickly to strengthen our Board to be able to move forward to improve the Bremerton Y for the community. Support was there, but nothing so large had been done in the Bremerton community where there were no outside funding sources – it would be all donated funds. It was necessary to even convince the Armed Services Y to allow the dollars from the sale of the building and property – about $300,000 or 40% of the cost of a new building.
I think negotiating with the Armed Services Board, The city of Bremerton, the Y USA as well, and working with the newly strengthened Bremerton Y Board was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Learning from the people who have the experience, power, and support, taught me so much and introduced me to the inner strength of the Y, as well as the “out of house” strength the Y possesses!
The Y is special, as are the people who are a part of the organization. The leadership of the Y, the staff, and their continued strength for the members is what makes the Y such a huge part of our communities.
Over the years, as a volunteer, I have received far more from the Y than I have been able to provide, so I continue to feel, as long as I can I need to give back to the organization that has given me so much.
🗓 Posted on May 16, 2023 by Carl Cramer, Board Member
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation.” (Romans 12:12)
“We must remember that one determined person can make a significant difference and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history.” (Sonia Johnson, American activist)
This past week, as she typically does, Toko Thompson, our CFO, sent out the monthly report to the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. This month she shared it was the first time, in the past three years, our association had eclipsed the $5 million mark in revenue, a significant milestone for our Y. This is directly due to continued improvement in membership growth and program registration. I know how hard everyone in this organization is working, and achieving this milestone requires every single one of us to contribute; it is the frontline staff who are engaging our members; it is the marketing and communications team delivering critical messages and connecting with our members, as well as the greater community; it is the financial development team facilitating the entire fundraising efforts of our Y; it is the maintenance teams caring for our facilities; it is the HR team recruiting, onboarding and caring for every one of us; it is our finance team processing every detail of our finances to ensure we are financially whole; it is our IT team ensuring our systems are working and are safe; it is our loyal volunteers making critical contributions, the list goes on. I just want to acknowledge this accomplishment and recognize the tremendous effort all of you have made to get us to this point. It is a monumental achievement for our Y.
The next part of Toko’s message tempers the greatness of our achievement, and unfortunately, it is one we need to hear; we are not quite at the place, financially, we need to be. It is a harsh reminder of the hole the pandemic created for us, and the hill we are still climbing. Four years ago, Loren Johnson, our Property Development and Facilities Director, and the Facilities Oversight Committee would not be forced to decide between the Korum HVAC project, and the Lakewood center’s exterior walls, we would have been able to address both of them. Eclipsing $5 million of revenue is still a significant milestone, and one we can build upon, and there are opportunities for that to happen. As Jeff Weiss, our Director of Philanthropy, reported in Friday’s Staying Connected Call we have raised $1.2 million toward our $3 million annual campaign goal, and we have the final 8 months of the year in which to finish the task. We also know there are opportunities for us to exceed that goal, as well as welcome gifts toward our capital projects and endowment. Increasing our fundraising efforts is a big part of our plan to grow our Y, and the financial development team has been working very hard to make that happen. Between the Names Y, the Gig Harbor and Gordon fields’ projects, and Camp Lake Helena, we are on the cusp of securing some very large gifts. Securing gifts helps our balance sheet, but it also helps us develop projects to strengthen our operational model. Replacing the Morgan Y with a new facility will have a huge impact on our association, attracting new members into our association, something we experience every time we open a new center.
Another key area of growth we have been focusing on is child care and early learning. In both cases, there has been steady growth. In December of last year, we received news the $2 million grant we were hoping for to support child care had been denied. We are hearing from our lobbyists we should be receiving grants this year to help support child care and early learning. Providing child care services addresses a huge need in our community, and the federal and state governments understand the need to support providers like us in order to offer this service. Currently, we are in discussions with the Tacoma school district to add additional before and after school sites. We are working with the school district to determine the demand. In our discussion with MultiCare, we have discovered an interest to have us provide childcare services for their employees. MultiCare has two sites, and we will be working with them to see what is required for us to begin providing services. Prior to COVID, we were working toward replacing the mobile units on the Korum campus to expand our early learning services. We knew there was a demand for additional services in the Puyallup community, but the pandemic forced us to pause the project. Recently, we revisited the plan, having secured a grant to work with our architects to design a future early learning center to replace the mobile units. A few years ago, we applied for $2 million from the state to support a new center, but we did not receive the grant. We do believe we can go back to the state in the near future.
In addition to strengthening our operational model, we have been investing a significant amount of resources to develop our infrastructure in an effort to bring a greater degree of sophistication to our ability to communicate and connect with our members, as well as the greater community. We continue to make steady progress in our virtual platform. Every time I visit the studio at Tacoma Center I am amazed at what Annie Doyle, AO Virtual Experience Director, Daniel Ly, Videographer and Photographer, and Christopher Borja, Videographer and Photographer, are doing. They have transformed the studio to be able to deliver a great quality product, and as we saw on the Staying Connected call last Friday with Lauren Backlund, AO Member Experience Director, and Gabe Catalan, Member Services Director, we are able to bring a different level of creativity to the platform, as well.
The fact that we have such a great IT team enables us to build a strong virtual platform; they also are working alongside the marketing team to develop our automated digital marketing platform as well. Matthew Chase, Sr. Marketing Ops Director, and Laura Michelle Franklin, Email Marketing Manager, have been working furiously to bring a whole new level of connection and engagement to our members. They are already making progress in segmenting the membership, enabling us to target members and align our messaging to address unique member needs. This will be a huge breakthrough in connecting with our members, but it is just the beginning. I remember when we first introduced marketing to our Y, it had a huge impact in attracting new members; this will be equally as big. Having a quality IT and marketing team working together positions us to add this component and make us a more sophisticated operation.
Yes, we achieved a significant milestone this past month by eclipsing the $5 million mark in revenue, and yes, we still have more to accomplish to reach the financial targets we set for our Y, but there are so many great things in the process that are steadily working to make it propel us forward. I love how our team is working, every single area of our organization is leaning in to contribute. It is powerful to see the commitment from all of you. It is why I am so confident when I think about our future. I never doubt our ability to reach our targets, because I just need to look around and see what you all are doing. You are truly amazing. Thank you for your complete commitment to making our Y strong. You are difference makers.
🗓 Posted on May 9, 2023 by Charlie Davis, CEO
Tim Daly: So why the Y?
I have been a member of the YMCA for 40 years and a volunteer for 35. I have had the pleasure to serve on the association's board of directors for much of this time. I volunteer because I believe in the importance of giving back to our communities. The YMCA is a great organization that provides a variety of programs and services to people of all ages and abilities. I am proud to be a part of the YMCA and to help make a difference in the lives of others.
I have seen firsthand the positive impact that the YMCA can have on people's lives. I have helped to raise funds for programs that provide swimming lessons, after-school care, and summer camps for children. I have also worked to provide affordable fitness and health education programs for adults. I believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilling life, and I am grateful that I can help make that happen through my volunteer work at the YMCA.
The YMCA is more than just a swim and gym. It is a community of people who come together to support each other and to make a difference in the world. I have developed strong friendships with other volunteers and staff members at the YMCA. We share a common goal of making our community a better place, and we work together to achieve that goal. I am proud to be a part of this community and to be able to make a difference in the lives of others.
Here are some specific examples of the impact that the YMCA has had on my life and the lives of others:
- I have seen children who were once afraid of the water learn to swim and enjoy the water.
- I have seen teens who were struggling in school find a safe and supportive place to learn and grow.
- I have seen adults who were struggling with obesity or other health problems lose weight and improve their health.
- I have seen seniors who were lonely and isolated find new friends and a sense of purpose.
The YMCA is a place where people of all ages and abilities can come together to learn, grow, and thrive. I am grateful for the opportunity to volunteer at the YMCA and to make a difference in the lives of others.
🗓 Posted on May 2,2023 by Tim Daly, Board Member
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.” (Ecclesiastes 4;9)
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” (Helen Keller)
From the outset of the pandemic, it felt like we needed to lean on partnerships as one of the pathways forward in strengthening our Y. Working with like-minded organizations to share resources seemed like a logical step, we needed to be more efficient if we were going to persevere. As you heard from Courtney Austin, Director of Care Coordination, in the Staying Connected call, we recently took a big step forward in revitalizing our partnership with Multi-Care. We have worked hard over the past 15 years to define what exactly that partnership was and could be. A special shout out goes to Susan Buell, Association Director of Health Services and Courtney, who both have done a great job carrying the torch for us to help bring clarity to the partnership. Their leadership has been a big part of drawing the renewed interest from Multi-Care. As the staff who attended the summit will attest, there was a lot of excitement, from both organizations, as to what the future can hold for both of us.
Another partnership that is important for us is with the school districts. With our Child Care program, Center for Community Impact and the Beyond the Bell/Expanded Learning Opportunities, we have invested a great deal of resources to work with the schools in an effort to impact the well-being of thousands of youth. This partnership is becoming even more critical, as the plight of young people demands greater resources. Just last week, we met with the Tacoma School District, Metro Parks, Boys and Girls Club and Greentrike, a Tacoma-based organization out of the Children’s Museum, who plays a coordinative role in facilitating services to help youth. As Chris Spivey, Executive Director, shared in the Staying Connected call, there have been five students in the Tacoma area, who have been killed in gun violence over the past few months. The superintendent has sounded the alarm to create safe and healthy zones for youth this summer. There will be 10 safe zones in various school sites, being operated by three agencies, five days a week, from 5:00 to 10:00 pm, for ten weeks this summer. Brian Flattum, Sr. Vice President and COO, and the operations team will also be looking to add Late Nite in a few of our centers this summer.
A month ago, the Bremerton Y reintroduced its Safety Around Water program, it is part of the partnership with the Bremerton school district. The school district transports a group of third graders to the Y to be part of this program. The schools celebrate the impact this program has had on its students, not only in building confidence for these students in and around water, but in the improvement these students demonstrate in their academic performance, attendance and behavior. A few months ago, Harold Shea, Operations Director, and Chuck Henderson, Chair of Bremerton’s Advisory Council, Wes Larson, formerly a member of the Bremerton council now a member of our Board of Directors, and I went before the Bremerton school board to request their consideration to partner with us to build a new Y for Bremerton. With a new superintendent scheduled to start in July, they will be bringing this proposal up then, but were very positive about the relationship with the Y, particularly in the Safety Around Water program. It is a reminder that everything we do helps us further our partnerships.
This past weekend, I spoke at a fundraiser for the Tacoma Rotary event. Rotaries across Pierce and Kitsap Counties have invested significantly in all of our Y’s, helping to build every one of them. They have supported Late Nite and currently the Tacoma Rotary helps sponsor the homeless hygiene program at Tacoma Center. It was amazing the response our Y received at this event. The audience responded to the call to action for youth, helping to raise a great deal of money. It is a testament to the work you all are doing. People in our community believe in our Y, like Multi-Care, school districts, as well as service organizations, they are looking to us to join hands in an effort to impact our communities. Your work is recognized by many people and many organizations. You are truly making an impact in the health and well-being of our community. Thank you for your continued dedication.
🗓 Posted on April 25, 2023 by Charlie Davis, CEO
Blake Bolton: So why the Y?
I recently had the opportunity to meet with Cassidy Inamasu, the new Executive Director at TC/UWY, to strategize about the Annual Campaign. While my personal Y story has many layers, as do I’m sure many of yours, the relationship between Member and Staff is certainly one that is special for me.
My Y story starts in 1986. I walked into Tacoma Center, joining the Y as a young professional working in downtown Tacoma. On that first day, as part of my application, I met a young program director named Charlie Davis. The next day, as I came in to work out for the very first time, he greeted me – ‘Blake, welcome back, nice to see you again!’. Wow, I thought, this guy sees so many people each day, yet remembers my name and makes me feel like I belong here.
As this same experience played itself out, over and over again as I worked-out regularly and met others, I now realize how the Y truly changed my life. I was part of a community that became my extended family; the relationships that are forged in our centers are indeed life-changing. A big part of that has been the Staff that have provided encouragement and support to me during the course of my membership at the Y: Clint Scott, Phil Carter, Sue Westering, Brian Deely, Andy Pederson, Ronn McMahon, Kris Jensen, Chris Spivey, Tani Loomis, Sarah Homan – all legends of our Association! Along with Charlie, these individuals helped me hone the values that are important to me: integrity, caring, and joy.
One other former Staff member, a TC Program Director, also holds a special place in my heart. During an Annual Campaign many years ago – then called ‘Partners for Youth’ – Katie Dunivan and I visited a work associate of mine to tell him about the Y and solicit a gift. Kim Nakamura was so impressed with Katie’s passion and knowledge, he not only pledged to support our cause on the spot, but eventually became a member of the Association Board of Directors, lending valuable insight and guidance, as well as continued financial support. Again, I marvel at the talented staff we have, and how teaming up with Katie that day benefited our Y more than both of us could have known at the time.
As part of the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties, we have the privilege of again supporting the Annual Campaign. It is a time where Staff and Members can bond, working together to make a positive impact in our greater community. I hope you can forge some strong and lasting relationships that allow you to shout out ‘Welcome back, nice to see you again!’ to your Members at each of our Centers.
🗓 Posted on April 18, 2023 by Blake Bolton, Board Member
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“The greatest among you will be your servant.” (Matthew 23:11)
“Strive not to be a success, but to be of value”
This past week I was engaged in a number of meetings where we discussed areas of our operation that were new to our Y, at least within the past two years; there was the virtual and the wellness café work that Annie Doyle, Association Virtual Experience Director, Michael Marquez, Operations Director, Bruce Caudel, VP Chief Information Officer, and Janele Nelson, Association Mission Director, have been leading, the Expanded Learning Opportunities with Tacoma and Clover Park school districts that Stephanie Roberts, Operations Director, Rhalena Seballos, Childcare Admin, and Becca Gjertson, Sr. Outdoor Environmental Educator, have been spearheading. There was a summit to revisit our partnership with MultiCare, with a number of our staff in attendance. It is important to recognize that Courtney Austin, Director of Care Coordination, and Susan Buell, Association Director of Health Initiatives, have been leading the way on this very important work with our partnership for many years. Though the MultiCare partnership is not new, the focus from both partners is not just to re-energize the partnership, but to explore what it can be. After the MultiCare meeting I reflected on the week, and our association’s efforts to explore new initiatives; it is amazing to see all the great work from our entire team. In almost every area in our organization, we have made changes in how we are working in order to adapt to advance our Y. Though the results are still evolving, it is evident there are clear signs we are making significant progress as a Y.
One of the most impressive parts of all this work, is how well the initiatives are integrated; staff from the various departments are working together in a cohesive manner. What I also realized about this work, what makes it successful, we essentially adopted a new way of work to ensure success, the establishment of the task forces. The task forces have elevated the respective initiatives to heighten our focus, bringing people together from various areas within our organization, emphasizing the need for clarity and cohesiveness. Creating task forces made for a lot more work, but it was necessary, particularly because, in many cases these were new endeavors for the association. Brian Flattum, our VP Chief Operating Officer, has orchestrated the formation and facilitation of the task forces, which also includes a task force for child care/early learning. It is an example of the critical role he plays in our organization.
This past month, membership and program revenue was higher than it has been since the pandemic disrupted our lives. Operations has been doing a phenomenal job, expanding programs, and introducing new ones. It has been remarkable to watch our team perform, and it has been equally remarkable how all the moving parts connect. Brian is masterful in coordinating the many efforts, and the results are reflective of his management skills. Brian is a significant reason why our organization has been steadily progressing forward, through the most turbulent period in our history. In recognition of the impact Brian is having, I have decided to elevate him to the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. It is well deserved, and it is also a step that is necessary for our organization.
Since I became CEO, I have kept the organizational chart flat, with respect to the Vice Presidents. I believe it is important for them to have advancement in their career as well. Brian has been a Vice President for seven years and has grown in his role, to the point he plays a vital role in leading our organization. He has established himself as someone who can work with all the various departments within our Y. It is very important for our sustainability. There will be a time when the board will be faced with the decision of choosing a new CEO. I have shared with them that our Y is in great hands with Brian, the VPs, our department heads, and the center executives leading our organization. This team is phenomenal; I am amazed every day by how great you all are and how lucky I am to work with you.
In addition to the decision to promote Brian, I, along with the other Vice Presidents have made a few other organizational decisions. Throughout the past three years, we were forced to make many decisions in response to the tumultuous circumstances we were facing. We moved people around and placed them in positions based on their needs at the time. Megan Sala was one of those people. After the six-month closure period, we placed Megan as the Executive Director of the Lakewood Y. Less than a year later, we moved her to be the Executive Director of the Tom Taylor Y. Less than a year after that, we needed her to move one more time to what we called the Senior Executive Director of Member Experience. We defined the position at the Senior Executive Director level, without truly understanding the scope of the position. For the past year, Megan’s responsibilities have exceeded that of a Senior Executive Director, and we are now elevating the position to be equivalent to an Operations Director. This is a necessary move to properly grade the position, based on the scope of the role, it is also important to acknowledge exemplary performance of Megan. Megan has tirelessly been leading the development of the association’s membership effort, work that connects with all aspects of our organization. Megan is a great leader and teammate. She has become a critical part of our success.
When we first reopened our operations in September 2020, we made the decision to eliminate the Associate Executive Director position at each of our centers. It was a financial decision, but it was also a function of being smaller in size as an organization. As we have grown, it has become apparent there is a need for greater support in the oversight of the operations at our centers. Last year, we did add two Associate Executive Director roles, one downtown, overseeing the University Y and Tacoma Center, as well as in Child Care. Kate Hardeman and James Van Eddy were selected for those two positions, respectively. We are now making the decision to have Associate Executive Directors, at five of our centers. We will be elevating one of the Senior Program Directors at each center to take on additional responsibilities. Unfortunately, at this point, we will not be making this move at our Bremerton and Lakewood centers. Both Lakewood and Bremerton are making significant progress, but at this point, they are behind in achieving their budget projections. As they continue to grow and hit their targets, we will reassess the situation.
Making adjustments are still necessary for all aspects of our operation. Investing in our staff, and providing them with a career pathway is critical in their development, which coincides with the continued development and growth of our association. Michelle Rose, VP Chief Human Resources Officer, has hired a new Learning and Development Manager, Fred Doehle, who will start with us on April 17th. Fred brings many years in building a strong program to effectively train staff. Learning and Development are vital to our investment in career development. Michelle will be shifting a lot of her time to ensure this effort is successful. Fortunately, she has a great team around her, as well as someone like Nicole Brickman, HR Director, who plays a critical role in helping to lead our employee relations effort. As Michelle shifts her duties and focuses on implementing the Continuous Conversations initiative, Nicole will assume greater responsibilities as well.
Assessing and adapting have become a way of working for us. It is critical in helping us navigate the challenges we continue to face. A critical area that we have been assessing is the maintenance and care of our facilities. We are blessed with an extraordinarily dedicated team, who works hard to take care of the many challenges we are encountering with respect to our facilities. I have shared about the mounting issues posed by our aging facilities. I refer to Ed Bressette, Association Facility Director, as a savant, because he is gifted with a very unique skill set, which enables him to address so many of our facility problems. Ed is only one person, and he cannot possibly be available everywhere he is needed. As a result, we have made the decision to elevate Robert Hammond to a role where he can assist Ed in responding to the need. Robert has been overseeing two centers, Korum and Gordon. He has done a phenomenal job, and now he will be able to multiply his impact by teaming with Ed to help support the other facility maintenance teams. With Robert stepping into this new role as Association Facilities Director, we will be backfilling him at Gordon and Korum, with new facility directors. We believe this is both necessary and beneficial to our association. We will benefit from Robert’s skills being multiplied to help us in more of our centers, as well as a necessary investment into the critical area of facility maintenance. Investing in our staff is a vital part of our strategy in advancing our Y. We recognize there is more we need to do, and we are committed to continuing to do just that. Thank you for your continued commitment to this Y, you are the heart and soul of this organization.
🗓 Posted on April 11, 2023 by Charlie Davis, YMCA CEO
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.” (2 Chronicles 15:7)
“If you can’t fly then run if you can’t run then walk if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” (Martin Luther King Jr.)
A few years ago I was given the opportunity to attend the Leadership Summit at Willow Creek. For over fifteen years I watched it on a remote broadcast, something our association has extended to our staff and volunteers. It is a very unique opportunity to hear from a broad spectrum of leaders, both spiritually and from the secular arena. I have learned a great deal from the summit, and if you have the opportunity to attend, I would recommend it. (We are considering it for this year, so more to come.) On this particular occasion, one of the speakers was from the Franklin Covey Institute, Chris McChesney. Mr. McChesney highlighted the book, Four Disciplines of Execution. The four “D’s” are: focus on the wildly important, act on the lead measures, keep a compelling scoreboard, and create a cadence of accountability.
In his presentation, McChesney emphasized a few key points, one is to never lose sight of what is “wildly important”. He cautioned leaders to work hard not to fall into the trap of allowing the “whirlwind” to distract them from what is their most important objective. This is so easy to do because the pull from the day-to-day can rule the day. In addition, not having clear goals can also work to disrupt your focus on what is most important. I have found this period extremely challenging because our model has been shaken, membership, which historically has been over 85% of our revenue, has not bounced back as quickly as we may have hoped. With membership slow to rebound, and expenses increasing, it has challenged us to pursue alternative means to grow our membership. It has pushed us to explore new ideas. I believe we are still in that place. We continue to pursue the virtual platform and devote significant resources to strengthening it. We are part of Y360 and are working hard to integrate it into our way of work. I believe we are making steady progress.
In addition to our commitment to the virtual platform, we have made the decision to invest in shifting our fitness focus toward an emphasis on the strength component. In early May, we will be transforming the weight rooms at the Tom Taylor and Gordon facilities. From what we are hearing from other Y’s around the country who have moved in this direction, the move is paying big dividends. In both cases, the virtual and putting a greater emphasis on strength equipment, we are continuing to stay focused on the fact that membership is still our primary objective. Our efforts have been focused more on adjusting the delivery of our product, as well as adapting to what we believe is a shift in the members’ interests. We sometimes joke we are not going into the dry cleaning business, meaning we are not changing what our core focus has been and will continue to be.
Membership has been our primary focus for over 40 years, and we continuing to focus on increasing that number. The questions we have begun to ask ourselves is whether being a member is still what people are looking for, whether is it to engage in the programs we offer or whether should there be a different entry point for people to access the Y. As we have attempted to rebuild our Y over the past three years, our emphasis has been on growing our programs. Clearly, our members are telling us that. In the pricing study we will be conducting this year, one of the assumptions we will be testing, is whether our members only want to pay for the specific area of service we offer; ie., swim lessons, if that is the case, can we design a business model to accommodate this concept? We are eager to conduct the pricing study because we believe this may uncover valuable information about how we should operate. As we go through the process, we will be tracking the results from the Central Florida Y, which is a few months ahead of us, but also recognize our service area might produce different results.
Last week Diane Jackson, Marketing and Development Coordinator, in her weekly updates on summer camp enrollments, reported resident camp had already exceeded the annual projections, and Camp Helena had exceeded the numbers from all of 2022. (OH MY GOSH!!!) Scotty Jackson, Camp Executive, and the entire camp team are intensely focused on the numbers they need to reach for them to hit their targets. McChesney elevates the importance of having a “compelling scoreboard” to ensure success. He contends performance is elevated only when the team knows the score. In our weekly Staying Connected call, we are constantly holding up our targets; where are we with our monthly budget goals (YTD: we have a net negative variance of $92,990.). Membership is tracking with a positive variance of $155,000, and our financial development targets currently have a negative variance in endowment, grants, and capital of almost $2 million, but this is a function of the timing of when we anticipated receiving the funds.
All of these targets, budget, membership/program, and financial development are key goals for our organization. For us to be successful, we must achieve these goals. What we have learned over the years, is it very challenging to find targets that fit each of our staff and their specific charts of work? McChesney contends it is still vital for the employee to know how their contribution connects to the success of the organization. Recently, I was speaking with Scotty Jackson about his goals, and he shared with me that working with Noor Bergman, Recruiter, and her team, has been a “game changer” for camp. He pointed out they were able to add much-needed staff to the kitchen team, a vital component to camp success. He added he felt Noor was tied into his team’s staffing needs and how that would drive the camp’s success. Both teams were working together to achieve the targets. We still need our goals, but it is critical to connecting the work of the individual employee to the goal. This year, we will put our emphasis on this aspect. The centers and key program areas will have budget and membership/program targets, as well as annual campaign targets. The executive directors and department heads will meet with their teams to identify how each of them will contribute toward the achievement of those goals. One of the four disciplines is to maintain a cadence of accountability, assessing performance and understanding, as a team, how we need to make any adjustments in order to achieve success. This year we added Listen 360 to our way of work; listening to the members as to what they are saying about our services. This is a very important component because we need to understand what we are doing well, and where we need to adjust. Listening to the consumer is critical feedback to be able to hone in on the target. In addition to hearing from our members, receiving input from our own staff is equally important. How we work together is something we need to factor in as well.
2023 is a very important year for our Y. We have not satisfied the bank covenants in each of the past three years. The bank is aware of how the pandemic has impacted our business model, but we are expected to fulfill our commitments. Furthermore, our aging facilities, particularly the Morgan Center, are suffering from the limited investment of resources we have made over the past three years. Our plan to build a new Names Y was paused in 2020, but we cannot delay much longer. Addressing the deferred maintenance issues throughout our association has become one of our biggest challenges. Satisfying the bank covenants and addressing the deferred maintenance challenges we face are directly related to the strength of our business model, determined by our ability to draw more people into our centers and programs. We impact people through our programs, which remains our primary focus, it requires every single one of us to contribute in order for us to succeed. This past week, I was inspired by the annual campaign “halftime” event. I felt the energy from our team, and the collective commitment to achieve success for our Y. I know everyone in our Y believes in the work we do, and how vital it is to the community. I also know that everyone in our Y is doing everything they can to make sure our Y continues to deliver to people who need us. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to advancing our Y, you are making a vital contribution to our effort to impact people’s lives.
🗓 Posted on April 4, 2023 by Charlie Davis, YMCA CEO
Deedee Walkey: So why the Y?
I have served as a volunteer for the YMCA since joining the Board in 2009 and it is one of my most rewarding activities. I’ve always believed that if an organization is doing great work and you believe in its mission, you should figure out a way to support them. Sometimes that may be joining a walk to raise awareness, or buying the cookies, or supporting with a pledge. Sometimes it means serving on a Board or Advisory Council. When I was first approached by a couple of Board members about joining an Advisory Council, I did not see how I could add value. But then, as we discussed how the leadership team at the Y works with volunteers to understand the community they serve, I knew it was a volunteer-driven organization.
I join the other volunteers at the YMCA for so many reasons, but it really boils down to people. As I talk with people in our community, many are members. They care deeply about their Y. They feel ownership of the program and facilities. Members demonstrate that ownership by responding to surveys, talking with the team at the front desk, wiping down counters after they finish, and holding the door open for others. They contribute to our fundraising campaign and ask others to contribute. When asked how we can improve, they respond with concrete suggestions made with careful consideration. They care about the Y team and the people working at the Y. They brag about their instructors and talk about the latest activity in their exercise class. Members celebrate the great things at their Y and work to make them even greater.
Then there are the people that work for and lead the Y. Just like our members, they are proud of their Y, their members, and their co-workers. They mention the progress one member has made in the swim program, and another in their health journey. They laugh as adults wrangle children into the changing facilities. They are grateful to the volunteers that coach and lead youth teams. I’ve watched the membership desk patiently work with a potential new member. I’ve listened to Y leaders mentor newer employees. Most importantly I’ve watched Y staff beam with pride at a member’s success, and cry and comfort a suffering member. This care and compassion happen every day at our facilities, all while members are tumbling, playing pickleball, swimming, lifting weights, spending time with friends, taking an art class, and other activities too numerous to mention. Beyond our Y team and members, there are also the people in our community that count on us. Our YMCA Camp opportunities for schools, programs for youth, and our Center for Community Impact programs.
Beyond our walls and our members, the Y are a recognized leader and our partners rely on our people for ideas, insights, support, and enthusiasm. Our Y leaders are also at the forefront of innovation within the Y movement. We are fortunate to have great people dedicated to the mission and our Y. When I watch our Y staff and leaders put our mission into action, I know I need to do all I can to support them.
Finally, I volunteer at the Y for a selfish reason. It makes me feel good. I love talking with others about our Y facilities and programs and I love being able to talk about it from personal experience. I smile every time I walk through the doors. I love to listen to the locker room chatter, sip from the water fountain, and take a Zumba class where I will make a fool of myself. I love inviting people to join me. They’ll smile too.
🗓 Posted on March 28, 2023 by Deedee Walkey, Board Member
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)
“You will have to make up for the smallness of your size by your courage and selfless devotion to duty, for it is not life that matters, but the courage, fortitude and determination you bring to it.. (Muhammad Ali Jinnah)
This past week, Jessie Palmer, Sr. Executive Director of Financial Development, and I headed down to Olympia for YMCA Advocacy Day. This is an annual event, where all the Washington Y’s visit the state Capitol to meet with their respective legislators. It is both necessary and important for us to have relationships with our legislators. They represent us on important initiatives, potentially securing vital funding for our Y, as well as influence the direction of key initiatives that directly impact our work, such as support for before and after school funding. During COVID, we received significant state funding for child care. This year we are encouraging our legislators to advocate for us to receive a $3 million grant that would support the new Names Y project. In addition, we made a strong plea to secure funding to support child care that would help offset the loss of the $2 million federal grant we received last year. Jessie sets up our schedule in advance for the entire day, and we jump from one representative to another. This was my seventh year visiting with our representatives, and the reception we received on this day was probably the strongest I have ever experienced.
In the past, the visits with our legislators were conducted solely by Jessie and myself, but this year we had a special guest join us. It so happens the state’s youth governor, Landon Hulser, in this year’s Youth and Government delegation, is from our association. Landon is also currently a lifeguard at the Gordon Y, and he added a lot of energy to the meetings. Landon is a great testament to the impact of the Youth and Government program, and the work of Don Brevik, our Youth and Government Program Director. Landon shared with us that Don and Youth and Government transformed his life. Way to go Don, you have been positively impacting young people for a long time!
As part of the Advocacy Day events, the Washington State Alliance of Y’s gathers for a lunch program. This year’s program was the very best I have experienced; there was a unity and shared conviction for the work we are doing; there was deep sense of pride that we are truly making a huge difference throughout the state. On a number of occasions, you could see the attendees well up with emotion, (I was one of them). A state Senator was one who shared her emotional gratitude for how the Y has showed up “big” for our communities, over and over again, and continues to show up. A pediatrician shared with the group the alarm she has for the significant increase she is seeing in the incidence of youth obesity, as well as an alarming increase in anxiety and mental health cases among the youth. Not only did she applaud the work of the Y, but urged us to expand our reach, because an entire generation is in desperate need of the work we are doing. It felt really good to hear from our community how they appreciate what the Y is doing for them.
Landon was one of the speakers, he was fantastic, sharing about the upcoming Youth and Government event in Olympia in early May. This will be my first year attending, but I hear Landon has invited a number of others from our association. In addition to Landon, Janele Nelson, our Association Mission Director, was one of the presenters sharing about the Bridge of Hope program she has been leading within our Y. Janele was amazing, inviting the Y’s of Washington to join in the effort to help bridge the divide that has become so disruptive to our communities. She shared a recent national poll indicating Americans feel divisiveness is the 5th most pressing problem facing our country. As a result of the work Janele has helped lead, our Y will be one of ten Y’s to attend the Nation of Builders event, hosted by President Biden, designed to help bring our country together. The President has identified the YMCA as one of the organizations in the country doing this vital work, Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities, and Interfaith America are the other three. Janele and Jyot Sandhu, our Marketing Program Director, will be representing our Y at this very special event. This is an incredible honor for our Y, and as Janele shared with the state alliance, this work may be the most significant opportunity the YMCA has to make a difference in our world. Janele likened it to when the YMCA became leaders in the before and after school arena, providing working mothers the opportunity to enter the workforce.
It is exciting to think our Y is one of ten other YMCAs to help lead this work on a national scale, but it also is a representation of the innovative work being done in our Y. This past week I listened to Annie Doyle, our Association Virtual Experience Director, share with our Board of Directors the latest work she is helping to lead on the virtual platform in our Y. Annie was accompanied by Bruce Caudill, VP of IT, Toko Thompson, our CFO, and Janele, to seek approval about us entering a relationship with FINAO, a third party we have been working with to deepen the virtual offering. The board provided great input, and support for continuing the work, recognizing our need to incorporate the virtual component into our way of work. We believe the work with FINAO will enhance what we started with Y360, adding the community building that is such a vital part of what makes the Y special. As Annie shared with the board, we have come a long way from the days of offering virtual classes from our living rooms, to now having professional quality productions from our studio. Annie was quick to add that we are still in the infancy in what the virtual can become. The progress we have experienced is another example of the innovative spirit exhibited by our team, blazing new trails for our Y, and positioning us to continue to evolve as an organization.
Innovation is something that is not easy to develop, it usually takes time and resources, something we do not have an abundance of. It is a critical emphasis for any operation, particularly in times like this, when so much has been disrupted. Recently, I heard Makenzie Good, Camp Sr. Program Director, and Scotty Jackson, Executive Director from the Camp team, share their vision for the development of Camp Lake Helena. When we first purchased the property in 2019, it was with the intent to make it a regional day camp site, providing bussing within a reach up to 45 minutes from the site. Makenzie and Scotty shared how Helena will enable us to expand our Outdoor Environmental Education program. In addition, they are preparing to make Helena a site for an outdoor pre-school, and to be a place for youth and teens, particularly those who are battling anxiety. Scotty shared how his team is gearing up to expand the use of Helena this September. It is another example how our team is envisioning a new way to serve our community.
I am very proud of our Y. Operating in challenging conditions, we have continued to persevere, and progress. We have also shown the ability to be innovative and establish new ways to serve our communities. I get most excited when I see this because I know that it will propel us forward. It is not easy to implement new ideas, but we are doing it. Thank you for your drive and determination to advance our Y in any way possible. You are the hope of our Y.
🗓 Posted on March 21, 2023 by Charlie Davis, YMCA CEO
Lisa Wilson: So why the Y?
Why do I love the Y?
That is a great question and one that is equally easy and difficult to answer. Our family did not grow up using the Y so my first exposure was shortly after I graduated from college and began my career as a CPA. I was a college athlete and by the time I wrapped up my collegiate career, I was ready do something different, although I really had no idea what that might look like, in January 1990 that all changed. My office was located about two blocks from Tacoma Center so it was hard to miss all of the marketing that comes out after the first of the year. So, I joined the Y and little did I know how much that decision would change my life. Tacoma Center was a bustling place and so full of energy from the Y team, which included Charlie Davis, Sue Westering and Phil Carter as well as all of the members, young and old, that called Tacoma Center their home. I tried so many new things in my first couple of years as a member and learned so much about myself and made some wonderful and lifelong connections along the way. I did the Stadium stairs, Corporate Challenge, Core and More with Liz, cycling with Beth, so many fitness classes, the masters swim team and ultimately I even tried running which I never thought would be something I would even consider. The favorite memories though are the relationships that I made and have retained over the years and while Tacoma Center is no longer my main branch, anytime I walk in there, I feel like I’ve come home.
Fast forward a few years, I was married and we had three young daughters and living in Puyallup. Mel Korum quickly became our branch of choice even though I swore I would never leave Tacoma Center! Our girls literally grew up at the Y and were able to enjoy all of the things that come with that experience. They did gymnastics, basketball, t-ball, swimming, their first triathlon and many family fitness classes. Our family spent many hours and meals at Mel Korum and felt the love and care of the Y team who knew us and greeted us when we arrived and honestly kept track of girls when we needed some help! Once again, we were regularly reminded of the importance of a community and how easy it is to find the community you need at the Y. We found some of our dearest friends at Mel Korum and I was able to use some of my skills by running a triathlon training group and coaching for the Y swim team. One really amazing experience for us will be a forever family memory and favorite event. One year at a YMCA auction, we had the chance to “rent” the Y for a New Year’s Eve party for us and about 75 friends and family. It was hands down the most fun we have ever had and what an honor to share our love of the Y with others that we care about. We swam, had relay races, played basketball, dodge ball, gymnastics and amazing fellowship.
As time went on, I knew that I wanted to be in a position to give back to the Y and support the team and the programs in a different way. For a number of years, I was on the advisory board for Mel Korum and then in late 2019, I was offered an opportunity to join the Association Board of Directors, which I felt was a way for me to give of my talents in a different way. I’m incredibly honored for the opportunity to work closely with Charlie Davis and the rest of this team and am regularly in awe of their passion, commitment and enthusiasm around the Y. It’s been a difficult few years for our Association and in particular our teams and members, and I’m energized to see how effectively the Y has worked to not only right the ship but to also be creative in our desire to remain relevant to our current and future members.
🗓 Posted on March 14, 2023 by Lisa Wilson, Board President
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation.” (Romans 12:12)
“It always seems impossible until it is done.” (Nelson Mandela)
A couple of weeks ago, Brian Flattum forwarded me the program numbers from January. He was working on his report for the board of directors that he builds every month. Accompanying his report were some exclamation marks around the comparison to the January ’22 numbers. “Oh my gosh, it is crazy to think what it was like a year ago; 17,000 more adults in the program, 7500 youth, and a positive net of revenue, up from a negative $500,000, all over the course of one year.” Yes, it is a stark reminder of what our world was like a year ago, not to mention two years before that when we were just reopening our doors. We are now approaching three years since the pandemic first struck, and it does feel good to recognize how far we have come. I used to look back a lot more than I do, probably because we were operating in such uncertainty that it was difficult to visualize a future, and yet we did. Our team never lost hope, and it propelled our organization to the performance that Brian Flattum was able to report.
Last Thursday we held our annual campaign kickoff. Each center, including the association office, hosted an event. We connected each of the centers through technology, almost to perfection. (There were probably a few minor glitches, but essentially the production was flawless) I received a number of comments applauding the quality of the event, a tribute to Harold Shea, Brian Flattum, Jeff Weiss, and each of the center teams. The two board members, Blake Bolton, and Deb McLaren were strong presenters, as were the volunteers, Bowie, from Bremerton, and Jack, Gordon. Many of the comments were directed to the quality of the audio and visual, and the fact that people could attend in person and through the Teams platform. It was true, reflecting back on the state of our Y as recently as last year, we would not have been able to host such an event. Our IT team has quietly been building an infrastructure for our association, enabling us to offer events like this, and a whole lot more. Back in the heat of the pandemic, Bruce Caudill and his team built a studio for our virtual platform, giving us the capacity to produce high-quality programs. The IT team also migrated our membership data onto an entirely new Customer Relations Management software, with only four staff, a process that required building 80 training videos. When I think about how far we have come in the past three years, I think about having an IT team that was an integral part of our success. We could not have accomplished what we did without them. Bruce, Francisco, Tuan, Tiffany, Melissa, Kiersten, Roseann, Val, Colin, and now Kris (as she is helping to lead the next phase of our evolution with the SharePoint migration), thank you all for your dedication and commitment to making our Y great.
This past week, Holly and I have been visiting with superintendents of the eight school districts we are serving. It is critical for us to have strong relationships with the districts; trust in the districts is critical to our ability to serve youth and families effectively. Of course, in these meetings, we also hear tough feedback about where we may have come up short in our delivery of services. In a number of cases, the districts made decisions to change providers, because we were unable to provide before and after-school programming. It was a harsh reminder of how difficult it was to hire enough staff a year ago, and the families and schools could not wait any longer for us to deliver. They were forced to make the changes. It was great when Holly shared that we had a stable workforce, letting them know that we now had a full-time recruiter, Christine Neiman, on staff, focusing entirely on child care and early learning. In addition, Holly informed them that we also had a staff person, Chantel Ross, who focused on improving communication with the schools and families, including having a software tool dedicated to sending text messaging in real time to the families. Having a stable workforce that ensured service delivery, and receiving information in real-time were the two items at the root of their frustration with our service in the past. Being able to share that we made these changes and that there was an immediate improvement to our services, was extremely well-received by the schools, and another example of how we had made positive changes to adapt.
Last Friday, Scott Smith, Brian Flattum and I visited with a team from the Central Florida YMCA. We wanted to learn about the work they were doing with respect to their pricing model. They shared how they had worked with a consultant, and ended up making some pretty significant changes to the way their members access their Y. Two months into the new model, they have seen positive results from the changes they have implemented. We have some preliminary work to do, but we believe it will be vital for our Y that we take a hard look at what our communities want and need. We have been operating a certain way for over 45 years, and we need to understand all that may have changed. This is the right time to conduct the assessment. It could produce results that will strengthen our business model. It also can be another example of how we need to continue to adapt to the rapidly changing world we are facing. Our team has been extraordinary throughout this period of disruption. Each of you has demonstrated resilience and perseverance, but also a keen ability to adapt. In every area, you have been asked to make changes in how you work, and you have embraced it as a result, we have advanced as an organization. Thank you for your willingness to endure, you have made our Y better and stronger.
🗓 Posted on March 7, 2023 by Charlie Davis, YMCA CEO
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)
“Never look down on anybody unless you are helping them up.” (Jesse Jackson)
It was uplifting hearing from our staff about the growth in program numbers throughout our Y, in the recent Staying Connected call. Clearly, the first two months of 2023 have been extremely positive for our association. It feels very rewarding to see the progress, the hard work by all of you is paying off. It is also inspiring to hear our team report out, and feel the passion that you all have for your work. Your continuous commitment to making an impact in the lives of the people you serve is what defines our YMCA, and what is drawing people back to our Y. Just last week, I was visiting with one of our long-term members, and he shared with me how great his experience has been in our Y, calling out the staff by name who he sees every day when he visits our Y. He drives pretty far to attend our Y, but he never questions it, because of how special you make him feel the moment he walks through the front doors. “I have been coming to the Y for over 30 years, and I have always been greeted by name, and made to feel special. I always leave feeling better, it is a rare experience in this world today.” Thank you all for your devotion to serving others, you are making a significant contribution to our communities.
Last week, I was in a number of conversations about the future of the Scott and Sis Names Family YMCA. The Board of Directors charged Loren Johnson, Property Development and Facilities Director, to work with the architects, to go back to the drawing board and redesign the new Y, creating a preliminary design that would meet our budget. Essentially, this means that we would need to build a smaller facility. This is a difficult situation for our association, it is another truth we face, brought on by the past three years. In March 2020, with the onset of the pandemic, we had to pause on breaking ground to build the new Y, one month before we had planned to do so. Since that date, the cost of the project has increased by $20 million, making it more challenging to proceed. We also are very much haunted by the recent memory of the exterior façade of three of the southern walls of the Morgan facility crumbling to the ground. The reality is the “Grand Old Pearl Street Y” is now 45 years old and in dire need of a fresh look. We are not giving up though, using every moment to continue to raise money, as well as pursue solutions that might present a better alternative. The fact that our Y continues to get stronger directly impacts our ability to proceed with this project. It instills confidence, particularly with the bank, enhancing our ability to borrow funds. It also reinforces the fact that we are all part of the solution, and it is why I remain optimistic about the prospects of completing this project. I know how strong our team is, and as a result, I know nothing is impossible.
When I share something like this I take a risk, because it might raise concerns. You may be reading in the news about companies laying off employees, and it appears that we are heading into a recession. This may be true, but that is not the case with our Y, we are continuing to grow. I share the challenges we face, to keep you informed. I believe this makes us a stronger team, and a stronger organization. I trust you and believe that you should have all the facts about the organization to which you give so much. When I hear you report out in the Staying Connected call every Friday, I feel the passion you have for your work and the ownership you have in it as well. When Michael Marquez, Operations Director, shares about the soon-to-be rolled-out new workout designs in our facilities, I see innovation that arose from our team. When I hear we had 448 new member activations from a two-week promotion that occurred in February, I know it was a creative concept to attract new members, but it took the cooperation of our entire association to make it work. Our strength is our team, and it must be built on trust. I trust you with the brutal truth we face as an organization, but you trust me in making decisions with your best interest in mind. This is very much the case. We cannot scale this mountain without a cohesive effort from all of us pulling together. Our collective strength is our competitive advantage.
Replacing the 45-year-old Morgan Y is a critical priority for our association. A new Y will reduce the maintenance costs necessary for the current facility, but it will also draw new members, which will then strengthen our organization. All of us are connected to this effort, in the work you do every day that contributes to making our Y stronger. This Thursday, March 2nd, is the kick-off for our annual campaign. We will have most of our full-time staff and key volunteers gathered at our individual centers. The association office team will be hosting at the office as well. This is a very important program for our Y. It goes beyond the $3 million goal we have set, which is vital to us. It is important for all of us to share our stories, about the work we do every day that is making a difference in the lives of thousands of people. We welcome all people into our Y, regardless of their financial situation; there are very few organizations who can claim that, and offer as much as we do. We are making a significant impact in people’s lives every day. I believe we play a critical role in raising the quality of life for our communities. This campaign is an essential part of our Y, and our ability to include all people in our Y. Thank you for doing your part in making our Y stronger for so many people.
🗓 Posted on February 28, 2023 by Charlie Davis, YMCA CEO
Tony Panagiotu: So why the Y?
I LOVE THE Y. Love is a powerful word. When it comes to our Y, I love our mission of serving our community, family, and friends. Our YMCA embraces our community, nurtures our families, and provides a gathering place where we all make new friends. These attributes are why I LOVE volunteering for the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties.
Let’s go back in time. My family (my father George) signed us up at the Morgan Branch the day it opened. There was an excitement, a buzz about this new state-of-the-art facility with over a “dozen” racquetball courts, and yes you had to reserve a court day in advance even at night! (Yes, times have changed) Although the facility gleamed brightly as everything new does, it was not the place, but the people that made it special. You see when you walk in the doors of any of our branches, there is a feeling that you belong as a family. From day one our Ys has always been a melting pot for all who walk through our doors. We have embraced all who want or need to be here.
Why I volunteer is that we don’t turn away anyone who has the need to join our family. We make it happen with financial aid, scholarships, and most importantly, by welcoming everyone. Once you walk through our doors you immediately become part of our extended family. Before all of the talk about inclusion, we had it in our Y DNA! It has been ingrained in our culture from day one. When it comes to including all, we walk the talk every day. That is one reason why I volunteer for our Y.
I have been volunteering for the Y in various board capacities for over 20 years. Here’s how I got hooked on the Y. I was going for my normal jog starting at the Morgan parking lot when a fellow runner approached and asked if he could join me. During our 5-mile run, I discovered he was the executive director of the branch. By the end of the run, I was recruited to be a branch board member! Thank you, John Thomas. Then there was fundraising for the annual campaign, chairing it once, and continuing on my volunteer journey. Now I serve on the Association Board. One of the joys of serving on this board is hearing the Mission Moments that are a part of each meeting. There, one of our staff present, in detail, the human stories that occur each day at our branches. These stories bring us back to what is most important about our mission; serving the people of our communities. Quite often a tear or two is shed as these stories tug at our hearts. Serving our community is why I serve.
On to family and friends. No matter what branch is “yours” I am certain that each of you has made a friend. We are creatures of habit, and if you go to any branch at a specific time of the day you may see the same people working out, having coffee, dropping off or picking up kids, etc. In the end, we become connected, share stories and join in each other’s lives. Young or old, healthy, or trying to get there, we are all members of our Y family. This is why it is important to get back to our routines in person. As humans, we are social creatures wired to share our thoughts and emotions with others. At our Y we embrace the best of our human spirit by sharing, listening, laughing, and caring. Why do I volunteer for the Y, in the end, it’s the people. We put people first in our mission plain and simple.
I want to close with some thoughts on our staff. Our staff is miraculous! Each day they serve thousands in our communities. This is hard work, but for most a labor of love. As an organization, we know this and try to provide the best working environment and take care of our staff, so they can take care of others. During the past few years, this has been an enormous challenge, but we have taken that challenge head-on and our best days are yet to come. Thank you to our staff. Next time you see one of our staff give them a high five, they deserve it! Mind, body, and spirit…. that’s why I Y.
🗓 Posted on February 21, 2023 by Tony Panagiotu, Association Board Member
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“Tenacity is more than endurance; it is endurance combined with the absolute certainty that what we are looking for is going to transpire.” (Psalm 46:10)
“Success consists of going from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” (Winston Churchill)
For the past three years, our association has been working furiously to build our operation to the point we can satisfy all of our fiscal obligations, and continue to expand our delivery of vital services to the community. Just this past week, Megan Sala, our Sr. Executive Member Experience, shared with me that we had eclipsed $3 million in membership for the month of January. This was the first time we had done so since the onset of the pandemic; it felt really good, to say the least. Megan also shared that we were on track to achieve February’s targets as well. As we heard from Scott Gjertson in the Staying Connected call a couple of weeks ago, our Outdoor Environmental Education program was having a great start to the new year, a pattern, Jose Gorospe, our Operations Director, has shared is happening for our programs throughout the association. It all feels good, and it would seem that the early results are trending well, and they are.
As we have experienced throughout the pandemic years, though, our progress has not been a straight line upward; we have encountered many challenges along the way. This past week, Denise Landis, Executive Director, and her team reported that they are encountering significant challenges posed by the aging natatorium. The 45 year- old, the city-owned facility is in dire need of a new roof, as well as having other significant issues. Kevin Gary, our Facilities Director at Bremerton, along with Ed Bressette, our Assoc. Facilities Director has been working hard to keep the pool facility operational and has done an exceptional job doing so. It is a very challenging situation; one we will be monitoring very closely.
A month ago, our association was informed that we would not be receiving an extension to the Federal Stabilization Grant, designed to help support childcare programs. This was a grant we received in 2022, and was counting on for this year; not receiving the grant now creates a $2 million negative variance in the 2023 budget. As Toko points out, it is good we learned about this early enough so we have the rest of the year to make adjustments. Historically, we have not built grants into the budget process, for exactly the reasons we are now experiencing, grants can be discontinued, but these are extraordinary times. The federal and state governments recognize that organizations like the Y provide many vital services to the community and that without support, these services will not be available. Child care is an essential service to the community, and our team has been heroic throughout the pandemic, but the cost to operate child care has grown exponentially, as has the need for the service, as measured by the increase in the subsidies we offer to the families in our program. Nick Cail, our Grants Director, will be working hard to find new grants to help replace the one we lost, but the gap that has been created will require adjustments from all areas of our organization to help us recover. It is critical we continue to offer child care to the community. The families depend on us. I do believe there will be support forthcoming from the public and private sectors. This is an important community issue.
I think all of us recognize the importance of us achieving our fiscal goals. Our business model drives our ability to deliver critical services to our communities, as well as our ability to attract and retain quality staff and maintain the very best facilities. In order for us to achieve our fiscal targets, it will require all of us to play a role. We know that achieving our fiscal goals is critical to our organizational health, it is a goal we pay close attention to throughout the year. Having targets to focus upon ensures that we pay attention to the key areas of focus that help determine our success; having measurable targets helps drive us organizationally. It also drives individual employee performance. Over the past few years, I disbanded the staff performance management process we had in place for many years. The pandemic had completely disrupted the measurements we had previously been using, such as membership and program enrollments, as well as our ability to maintain a stable workforce. Though our operational model is not completely rebuilt, we are slowly finding a more predictable environment in which to work. As a result, it is important to reinstitute a performance management program.
As we have done in so many areas of our operation, we have had to adapt to the changes we face; such is the case in how we will evaluate staff performance. Michelle Rose, our Chief Human Resources Officer, has been working on introducing a new performance evaluation tool. The new tool will introduce the concept of continuous conversations, capturing the need for flexibility, as well as emphasizing the strengths of the individual employee. Continuous Conversations is designed to create open and honest dialogues that are ongoing and meaningful. It creates a regular feedback loop that lets employees know how they are doing, and have the opportunity to make adjustments in a more real-time manner. Continuous Conversations recognizes performance is occurring every day, and it is designed to capture that reality. The tool is designed to inspire the employee to take a greater amount of responsibility in their own development. We believe this tool will give us flexibility in the evaluation process, acknowledging individual performance and contributions. We are very excited about this new employee engagement effort. We believe this will transform the work experience for all of us.
Last week, I was in a conversation with a number of leaders within our community. As I often do, I shared my optimism for the Y. Many of them have seen our centers be more “like it used to be”, filled with people. They also recognize how we have stepped up to provide vital services to people in need. They know how we are shouldering the weight of providing child care, as well as coming alongside the schools to fill the gaps, and address the needs of youth and families. These leaders recognize that the Y being more vibrant gives them, and our communities, hope. They believe that the Y is an integral part of the fabric of what makes our communities strong. Many of them call you out by name, acknowledging your dedication and commitment to serving and lifting the community up. They marvel at your ability to persevere. They know what we have been up against. They know how amazing all of you are. I do too. Thank you all for your continued effort and devotion to making a difference in people’s lives. You are what makes the Y great for our communities.
🗓 Posted on February 14, 2023 by Charlie Davis, YMCA CEO
Todd Silver: So why the Y?
I'm deeply honored to be a YMCA volunteer. My involvement with our YMCA began early in life. My dad had been a scholarship camper at Camp Seymour in the 1930's and my brother Scott and I enjoyed “Indian Guides” in grade school and occasional swims at the Y. We also did Family Camp at Seymour and played racquetball, with plywood racquets, at the old Market Street YMCA. I also enjoyed Fall & Spring camps with my kids, Kelsey & Kent. Scott encouraged me to attend Pete Pilkey’s aggressive morning exercise class at Morgan in 1977 which was a joy and a challenge. That class created relationships that continue today almost 50 years later! When Tacoma Center opened up in 1983 Clint Scott, the first Executive Director, asked me if I’d follow him from Morgan to Tacoma Center and create a similar morning fitness class. I felt both honored and frightened to be invited to lead a class as a volunteer. (You could do that back then.) That class took on the “First Light Brigade” moniker and created a loving, caring, hardworking and celebrating group that met every M/W/F morning for years. Many of those relationships continue to this day. We not only worked out together, we celebrated weddings, birthdays, births, picnics, Friday morning coffees, climbed Mount Rainier, Adams and St Helen’s and fell deeply in love with one another. What a gift! That's one of the very special distinctives of the YMCA, you create an opportunity to develop lifelong relationships. Bravo to each of you for changing lives in this manner!
In 1985 Clint asked me to join the Tacoma Center board. (Incidentally, my dad was then on the Association Board and Scott was on the Morgan Board at that time. We were all honored to serve such a great organization.) I served as the Tacoma Center Board Chair with Clint in 1987 and then was asked to chair for another 2 years as Charlie Davis took over the helm in 1989. That began a special relationship and partnership that continues to this day. Each of your unique hearts, spirits and focus motivates and encourage those of us who volunteer alongside you. Thanks to each of you for giving your lives to our community as you work to make each of your facilities and programs a healthy and welcoming space.
Why do I continue to volunteer? Because I so appreciate how the Y focuses on and serves the whole person, “Spirit, Mind and Body”. I like the order in which those are listed because we are much more than just our physical bodies. And not just the whole person but also the whole community! The Y creates a “Third Place” where friends from diverse generations, genders, geography, faiths, economics, and experience can join together. What a gift eh?
So I’m grateful and thankful to serve together with each of you. Looking forward to what this New Year brings!!
Onward & Upward.
🗓 Posted on February 7, 2023 by Todd Silver, YMCA Board Member
Charlie Davis: So why the Y?
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” (Dale Carnegie)
As an opening exercise, I will occasionally ask meeting participants to share what is giving them hope in their work, as well as in their personal lives. I probably do this more these days, given the challenges we are facing, as an organization, but, recognizing the world is presenting challenges to us individually as well. One thing I have consistently been impressed with from all of you, throughout these past three years, has been the tremendous resilience you demonstrate individually, and collectively; to consistently bounce back indicates an uncanny ability to hold onto to the belief that there is a brighter horizon ahead, regardless of the adversity you encounter. I see it every day throughout our association, it is what keeps me going, knowing our team is continuing to charge the hill, and to never lose sight that people are depending upon us for services. You are a lifeline for our organization, and for our communities.
Where do I see hope for our Y? Last week I sat in with the virtual task force. Brian Flattum, Vice President Chief Operations Officer, has created a number of task forces to help us focus on strengthening some of the key strategic initiatives within our association. It is a big commitment of staff resources toward these important areas of focus, but it has proven effective in supporting the development of critical areas of work. The virtual platform is one such key area. It is still a brand new initiative, and a departure from our traditional way of work. It is challenging to build something that is as foreign to us as the virtual is, but I have been impressed with the creativity and determination of our team. The progress we have made, as an organization, is remarkable; Annie Doyle, Association Virtual Experience Director, Michael Marquez, Operations Director, Bruce Caudill, Vice President Chief Officer of IT, and the videographers, Daniel Ly, Christopher Borja and William Hardy have transformed the studio at Tacoma Center, elevating the quality of the production. Annie and the team have worked hard to build a library of videos that offer a variety of programs to members. Just last week the team was filming instructional videos to provide the youth basketball coaches additional tools to support their coaching efforts, ultimately providing the youth participants a better experience in our youth basketball program.
In addition, Danielle Behr, Sr. Aquatics Director, shared how they are introducing a video supplement as part of the swim lesson programs, providing the youth with additional guidance on their journey to learn to swim. Danielle shared that they are exploring how youth can gain credit for accessing the virtual platform. It is a creative way to encourage members to experience the virtual platform, and discover additional value in their Y experience. The task force is working hard to integrate the virtual platform into all aspects of our operation, helping staff to see how the virtual can bring additional value in their ability to engage members. The conversations are rich, and it is exciting to see how the virtual continues to grow within our Y. The virtual platform represents a new opportunity for us, but it is challenging to operate in a space that is entirely foreign to us. It is particularly inspiring to see our team forge ahead; that is what gives me hope for our Y.
At the beginning of 2023, our HR team helped implement a brand new payroll system for our organization. It was not a small task, but as Michelle Rose, Vice President Chief Human Resources, points out, it will make us so much more efficient, and open new opportunities that will enhance the staff experience. On Friday, Michelle was sharing about how ADP will provide us a structure to build out and track goal setting for staff. Michelle pointed out this structure will prove vital to the continuous conversations that will be integral in staff development. As I was listening to Michelle, it was easy to detect her excitement for how this tool will be great for our staff. It sounded very similar to the excitement I heard from Scott Smith, Vice President Chief Marketing Officer, recently describe some of the work he and the marketing team were doing. Scott has been talking about nurture streams and digital automation that will enhance our ability to address member needs. On Friday’s Staying Connected call, Matthew Chase, Senior Marketing Operations Director, shared how he and the digital experience team have already begun this work, integrating a new tool into our CRM (Salesforce). Matthew shared that we will begin to see the impact this new system will have over the next few months. When I point to the great results of the January promotion, Scott will add that the advancements we will see through digital automation will take us even further.
When I think about what gives me hope for our Y, I think about all the new ideas that are being introduced into our Y to make us better; the virtual platform, ADP and the digital automation to mention just a few, but what is really exciting about these additions into our Y, is the thinking that is coming from all parts of our Y; there is a general energy from throughout our organization to explore and implement new ideas that will propel us forward. Throughout the past three years, our team has always kept its eyes ahead, on a horizon that has a better future for our Y. We have never taken a stance that where we are is good enough. We have always recognized that we needed to evolve to something better, even in the midst of great uncertainty. Years ago, we learned the importance of member feedback, as being a necessary component to the service of our members. Last week, we received emails from the new tool we began using that solicits member feedback, Listen360. In her commitment to enhance the member experience work of our Y, Megan Sala, Engagement Representative, spearheaded the effort to implement this new tool. On Friday, Toko Thompson, Vice President Chief Financial Officer, shared how she enjoyed reading the various member comments, and how it gave her a greater connection to what is going on in the centers. Her comments were another example of how we are getting better as an organization, by challenging the status quo, and adding a new way of work.
Yeah, I have a lot of hope for our Y, and it always comes down to all of you, for maintaining a positive attitude, and continuing to challenge yourselves and our organization to be better. Our future is bright because of you. You are what makes this Y great, for each other, and for the people in our communities. I am in awe of your resilience and your desire to find a better way forward. Thank you all, you are amazing!
🗓 Posted on January 31, 2023 by Charlie Davis, YMCA CEO
Deborah McLaren: So why the Y?
Why do I volunteer?
What a soul-searching question. When Charlie asked me to write this blog I thought ‘easy peasy’ but it really caused me to stop and reflect and ask myself, why do I volunteer? To me, volunteering is the highest form of giving to support something you are passionate about and comes in three forms, time, talent, and resources.
Giving time means showing up and getting a job done. Being dependable and part of a team to make something happen. In addition to volunteering for the Y, I also volunteer for a local running club. Every Saturday at 8:00am, I (and others) host a free 5k in Point Defiance Park. It is a commitment I made and because I know people are counting on me to greet them, explain the course, record and post their time, I show up. For anyone who has had to solicit volunteers to run an event, showing up is the most important thing.
Giving of talent is so special. I have such admiration for volunteers who share their skills with others. Mentoring young people, teaching someone how to do something new, coaching a team or providing expertise in your field, are all examples of sharing a talent. When you are lucky enough to be blessed with a talent and willing to share that with others, you are truly making an impact. As a teacher for many years, I was so grateful to the parents who would volunteer to help in the classroom. Every hour they provided support, gave me an extra hour to attend to my students or my own family. What a gift.
Finally, giving resources. The simplest way of looking at this would be monetary donations. I have busy friends who when asked to volunteer will sometimes say, “can I just write a check?". Sure, most institutions are happy to take your cash (and many rely on it) however, I see an extended version of resources. It may be giving of materials, providing a meal, opening your home, or offering a ride. Sharing what you have with others is another form of volunteering.
But what happens to us when we volunteer? Maya Angelou says, “among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver”. I believe it confirms our self-worth, reinforces the notion that people can count on us, and demonstrates our capacity to make a difference and positively impact humanity.
I recently retired after 38 years in education. Not being one to stay still for long, I became a substitute principal for the Puyallup School District. What a delight it has been to go to different schools every day and support each school’s students and staff. Many times, I have worn my YMCA jacket and every time, without fail, a student will recognize the logo, get very excited and eagerly ask me, “do you work at the Y?”. I need to prepare a proper answer because what kid wants to hear, “well, I am on the board?”. What I wish I could answer is, “yes, yes I do work at the Y!”. I wish I worked at the Y because then I could own the joy on their faces when they tell me their Y story and about the instructor or coach or summer camp director. Yes, I wish I worked at the Y. I don't, but YOU DO! And, how lucky for you. What you do matters and supporting you and the life altering work you do is why I volunteer. It liberates my soul.
🗓 Posted on January 24, 2023 by Deborah McLaren
Chris Wells: So why the Y?
One year ago, I was sitting behind a desk in a city parks & recreation office, where I had been employed for over 11 years, and realized how unhappy I was in my career and that I needed to make a change… I resigned without any job lined up or knowing what was to come for me.
I applied for one job at the Lakewood Y and Toby called me in for an interview. I automatically felt a connection as Toby and I talked about where we grew up, schools we attended, people we knew, etc. He offered me the position, which I accepted, but honestly wasn’t sure for how long.
Fast forward 12 months and I know that God has placed me where I am supposed to be at this time in my life. I haven’t enjoyed waking up in the morning and going to work somewhere as much as the Lakewood Y since I was hired out of college at the East Side Boys & Girls where I grew up. I feel a sense of purpose in my life again and love how the Y allows me to be me! I am so thankful for the opportunity to make a difference in the community and to serve as a positive role model for our youth staff and members.
I also work with a great group of people and I’ve never received the support from co-workers that Toby, Yvette and Rebecca, Tyler and Yasuko, Avery, Kevin, Mike, Marcelino and Wendy have provided me the last year. I hope they know that I am grateful to be on this team with all of them. So why the Y? To make a long story short…it was meant to be!
Correction: In the original blog post published on January 10, 2023, we mistakenly credited this blog post to Charlie Davis. In fact, this blog post's author is Chris Wells, Senior Youth Program Director of Lakewood Family Y. We updated the post to fix our mistake on January 10. Apologies for the confusion!
🗓 Posted on January 10, 2023 by Chris Wells