The Perry Rotary Club recently donated $20,000 to the YMCA’s capital campaign to increase its programming capacity.
“One of the things I have learned is that you don’t know what you don’t know,” said Warsaw’s YMCA Branch Director Matt Hilton. “You go out into the community and ask ‘what does this community need?’ This was one project that was decided upon, mainly through volunteers, that we needed to increase our capacity for delivering programs.”
Although Hilton has been with the “Y” for more than 20 years, and started at the Warsaw branch in October, the Linwood Avenue building has been open since 2002. It serves approximately 3,000 people annually, of those members, 800 are under the age of 18.
“One of the things we identified was that we needed more capacity,” Hilton said. “Any day during the week you can come here and see the parking lot full.”
To increase the space, the outdoor play area was agreed upon to renovate. It has all the amenities to handle extra programming and activities and it slightly smaller than the gym.
“We are also going to reopen the racquetball court, which will be before the end of May,” Hilton said. “It (the play area) has the potential to be able to add some apparatus items...It will be a performance training, sports center, teen-tween recreation area and more...a multipurpose space, not dedicated to one function.”
In lieu of being called the “outdoor covered play area” or “fit” room, the space will be called the Perry Rotary Room.
While the Perry Rotary donated $20,000 toward the capital campaign project, the total cost of renovations is $200,000. However, within that scope includes renovations to the front door desk area.
“That area will be turned into a multigenerational space,” said Perry Rotary President Donald O’Geen. “We want to shrink the front desk size, put in comfortable tables and chairs, have wifi, and TV. The space will be for seniors and kids to socialize.”
The Perry New York Rotary Club received its charter in 1924. The member-centered community service organization meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Masonic Temple, 21 N. Main St., Perry, for lunch, fellowship and programs. As part of Rotary International, the group abides by the official mottoes: "Service above self" and "One profits most who serves best."
The YMCA has 16 community partner collaborations with school districts in the county, as well as recreation programs in both Perry and Arcade. There are approximately 36 volunteers that not only sit on the board of directors at the “Y,” but also engage in programs.
“One of the unique aspects of the YMCA,” Hilton said. “We are a not-for-profit charity organization, so to make sure that nobody that walks through our doors is denied services or programs, we offer scholarships. Last year we gave about $40,000 in scholarships to individuals, families, seniors, kids, based on a sliding scale. As a kid, I was a beneficiary of one of those scholarships.
“The first time I went to the YMCA for camp, my mom had some business in New York City and she signed me up. I went, probably kicking and screaming, and my mom almost turned around and got off the plane to get me. When she came back at the end of the week, the first thing I did was run up to her and ask 'can I stay another week?’ I got another scholarship. It’s my turn to give back.”
