150 Year Commemoration of the Saratoga Regional YMCA

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 1

complimentary commemorative edition

brought to you by

EVOLUTION OF OUR LOGO

150th Anniversary Commemorative Booklet compliments of

Owner/Publisher Chad Beatty General Manager Robin Mitchell Managing Editor Chris Vallone Bushee Graphic Designer Kacie Cotter-Sacala Advertising Design Morgan Rook Andrew Ranalli Advertising Sales Erin Boucher Jim Daley Cindy Durfey Photography Unless noted otherwise, all photos provided by The YMCA All Articles Written by Maureen Werther History Section Written by Judy Meagher Published by

Saratoga TODAY Newspaper Five Case Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 tel: (518) 581-2480 fax: (518) 581-2487

saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

Simply Saratoga is brought to you by Saratoga TODAY Newspaper, Saratoga Publishing, LLC. Saratoga Publishing shall make every effort to avoid errors and omissions but disclaims any responsibility should they occur. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the publisher. Copyright © 2016, Saratoga TODAY Newspaper

6 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

“

THE YMC

A, the OLDE

in the Un

ALL Amer

ST and LARG

SOCIAL IN

STITUTIO

ited Stat

es has to

icans.

It gave th ec known po ountry baske pular co tbal

uched th

N

l

e lives of

EST

virtually

volleyball

ntributio and n s , o pionee , its best red CAM SCHOOLS P ING, PUB and TEA LIC LIBRA CHING En RIES, NIG glish as a HT The Y has second la provided nguage. war served im migrants since the and refug Civ ees from countries il War, and It has around th e world. but, it als

RELIEF

FOSTERE COOPERA D UNDERSTANDIN TION G and major fa iths.”

within Ch

ristianity

–Andrea H

anding, Pr ofessor at

the Unive

and amon

g the wor

ld’s

rsity of M

innesota

TABLE OF CONTENTS Extraordinary Leadership

8

10

Social Responsibility & Healthy Living

12

Five Branches, One Mission

16

The Y’s Outreach

Youth Development 20 150 Years of Serving the Community

22

Our Cause

38

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 7

EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP

I “

remember when we struggled to pay our electric and phone bill,” began YMCA Chief Operating Officer, Kelly Armer.

As part of the preparations for the Y’s 150th anniversary celebration, Kelly and I recently sat down to talk about the YMCA’s transformative journey over the past thirty plus years. Kelly has been a member of the YMCA organization for 26 years, beginning her career there in 1989 in the Y’s childcare programs.

In the intervening years, she has seen – and been a part of – many momentous changes in the facilities, the scope of programming and the expansive role the YMCA plays in Saratoga and the surrounding communities.

In 1994, the YMCA, which had already seen its share of challenges during the previous decades, was operating in the red – by many hundreds of thousands of dollars.

They continued to occupy the building on South Broadway, a structure that had long ago exhausted its usefulness as a health and community-oriented facility.

There was no parking, people would often walk in off the street and use the facilities without even being paying members and, the very nature of the building structure precluded it from offering the types of services, programs and activities that are an integral part of the YMCA’s mission.

During this same time period, the position of CEO of the Y was vacant, and the Y was struggling to find the type of leadership necessary to right the ship and set it on a better course.

The YMCA administrators turned to leaders of the community and members of their Board of Directors and Board of Trustees for help.

Within a relatively short period of time – and with the expertise,

8 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

dedication and financial support of people like Mike Toohey, Bill Dake, Harvey Fox, Tom Roohan, Ron Riggi, Charles Wait and many others, the YMCA as we now know it began to take shape.

In talking with these long-time board members and supporters of the Y, one pervasive thread runs through all of their comments: an undeniable love for their community and for the mission of the YMCA as an integral part of our region.

At the time, the Board already consisted of a group of valuable members from the business community, and an infusion of new board membership and new ideas helped to spark a renewed energy and new perspectives – something the Y needed desperately.

Harvey Fox, native Saratogian and owner of his family business, N. Fox Jewelers, was one of those “new faces” on the Board. He agreed with the rest of the members that the Y’s location was killing its chances to flourish and enrich the community. As part of the search committee, he teamed up with other movers and shakers, like Bill Dake and Mike Toohey, to identify a new location for the Y and set about planning a new building that could offer the kinds of programs they envisioned for the community.

Within a few months, they had identified the property on West Avenue and reached out to Bill and Jim Grande, owners of the property and, to quote Harvey Fox, “two of the most wonderful people.”

The Grande family were already long-time supporters of the YMCA and they worked with the board and the Y’s executive team to reach a purchase agreement that everyone could live with. The property had been appraised at $1.5 million and the Grande brothers were willing to donate a portion of the purchase price to make the deal more affordable to the YMCA. Now, they just needed to come up with the rest of the money.

“I remember Bill [Dake] saying, ‘How’re we gonna get this done?’” recalls Harvey. “I agreed to help raise $250,000.”

Barbara Glaser, who Harvey refers to as another “tremendous asset” to the community, was a member of the Board of Trustees at the time. She generously agreed to throw in $250,000, provided that the www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP old bike trail from Congress Park was extended over to the Spa State Park. In return, she agreed to fight with New York State to build a cross-walk and erect a traffic light – both of which she did and the community is all the better for it today.

“The YMCA raised the remaining $250,000 needed, we bought the land, went to the city to begin the building approval process… and the rest, as they say, is history,” says Fox. Harvey Fox puts it this way: “We had no arrogance….we just rolled up our sleeves and got the job done…there was no one person who did it alone…it was the team.”

During my conversations with many of the former and current board members, what stands out is the level of respect they have for one another. Each person I spoke with was eager to toot – not his or her own horn – but that of a fellow board member.

Harvey Fox, in his own words, about Linda and Michael Toohey: “Mike and Linda came to Saratoga in the late 70’s and they taught ‘us’ [longtime members of the community] how to be philanthropic with our time, our efforts, and our money.”

And Mike Toohey is quick to point out the valuable lessons he learned from other community leaders: “When I first arrived here in 1975, I literally knew nobody. But I believe that community decisions are better made by the citizen of that community. And, it’s our obligation to learn what our community needs and to help it move in that direction.”

“Joe Dalton shared those same ideas and was a model of ‘leading from the front.’ It’s nice to say, ‘I made a donation, but I believe you’ve got to put yourself in front of things. If you have the leadership skills, it’s your moral obligation to use them for the benefit of organizations that you believe in. The members of the YMCA board of directors and board of trustees did – and continue to do – just that.”

According to Bill Dake, the Y’s Board of Directors were a bunch of men and women who didn’t mind rising to a challenge, taking control of the issues and solving the problems that needed solving. He recalls having a lot of fun during those meetings. It wasn’t what Bill refers to as a “passive board.”

“We were there to make things happen…and that’s just what we all did together. We were not your ‘traditional’ board; in fact, we were more inclined to be aggressive in our approach to the issues. But we weren’t rigid and structured and we got things done.”

For Bill, it’s important to talk about the evolution of the Y within the larger context of the community. During this period, Saratoga Springs was in the midst of a renaissance of its own. Skidmore had moved into a brand new campus in the mid-1960’s; the newly formed Saratoga Performing Arts Center was making a huge impact on the entire upstate region; and the first Holiday Inn was built in the city to accommodate the growing number of people who were visiting the city of “health, history and horses.”

According to Bill, the YMCA’s growth was both impacted by and had an impact on the surrounding community’s renaissance. The city’s growth and the Y’s growth were not mutually exclusive; in fact, the various entities all benefitted from one another’s growth during this period of time.

Nearly all of the Board members would go on to become members of the Board of Trustees, the majority of them giving 20 years or more of their time and support to make sure the YMCA continued to grow and serve the community.

Tim Provost, current President of the YMCA’s Board of Trustees, talks about the impact of the Y on each community:

“When we talk about the Y, all too often we just think about the Saratoga Springs or the Wilton facilities. It’s important not to lose sight of our mission and what we can and do bring to all of the communities we service.”

By being attentive to the different needs of communities like Corinth, Malta and Greenwich, the YMCA has been able to better fulfill its mission of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

And the Board continues its style of active leadership with its present members. Mike Toohey recalled a recent YMCA event held at the home of current VP of the board of directors, Alysa Arnold and her husband, Jay. The reason for the occasion was to introduce the new plans for the Saratoga Springs branch’s outdoor facility to residents of the community. The new addition will include a ropes course, zip-lining, archery and a rock-climbing wall.

Alysa is an experienced rock-climber and an all-around outdoor enthusiast, and she wanted to find a way to educate her guests about the new facility and share her enthusiasm with them.

“As a student at Hamilton College, I participated in the high ropes course there, and I know how meaningful experiential education can be,” she said.

She saw the event at her home as a unique opportunity to educate and motivate the next generation of YMCA supporters. So, with the help of a fellow rock-climber, she devised a plan that would grab the attention of her guests and drive home the impact of the Y’s new project.

After a cocktail hour, the guests were asked to assemble in an outdoor area of their 3-story brick Victorian home. Jay Arnold began by thanking the guests for coming and introducing his wife.

“Alysa would like to say a few words,” he began, and then looked around for his wife – who was nowhere to be found. After feigning confusion and calling out to her, the guests’ attention was drawn upward to a third story window. The window had been opened and out popped Alysa – clad in climbing attire and hoisting a rappelling line out the window and dropping it to the ground below.

Much to the delight of the assembled guests, Alysa quickly and nimbly rappelled to the ground, where she then shared her remarks about the wonderful new addition to the Saratoga Springs facility.

Needless to say, the rest of the evening was a big success. Alysa had ignited the imagination of future donors and supporters of the Y, laying the groundwork for future leaders.

Because of the imagination, ingenuity and “roll up your sleeves” attitude of generations of board members and YMCA staff and administrators, the Saratoga Regional YMCA has experienced what Tim Provost calls “An extended period of unparalleled growth, making it more relevant and more important to the community and the residents it serves.”

From struggling to pay the phone bill, the YMCA today has an operating budget of over $12 million and more than 25,000 members. One-third of the population of Saratoga Springs are members of the YMCA, and more than 40,000 people in all five branches have been involved with YMCA programs at some level.

Bill Dake calls the YMCA a “living and constantly evolving organization that changes with the times and responds to the needs of its members. The programs it offers are not only meaningful in terms of enriching the health of the community; they are also socially meaningful and inclusive. It is truly a gathering place for people of all ages and a vital hub in each community it serves.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 9

John Muse, Architect for the YMCA

THE Y’S OUTREACH When John Muse moved his architectural firm to Saratoga Springs in 1990, he quickly embraced the community and became involved in both the architectural and the civic life of the city. He recalls his time spent on the Board of the Saratoga Regional YMCA about twenty years ago, and says that his most valuable contributions to the organization have been sharing his time and talents as an architect.

Muse has been the architect for both the Saratoga Springs branch and the Wilton renovation and reconstruction. During the course of both these projects, he traveled to many YMCA’s and found lots of examples of things he did not like.

He was determined that the Saratoga Regional YMCAs would reflect a spirit of community, energy and activity.

One of the touches that he is very proud of at the Saratoga Springs branch is the café area, located directly behind the main entry lobby.

“Other Y’s I visited had no couches, no seating areas for people to congregate and socialize,” says John.

Anyone who walks into Saratoga Springs will see people sitting around chatting after their workouts, waiting for their child to finish a swimming lesson, or working on their laptops and iPads.

10 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

It’s an area that just invites social interaction and the satisfying luxury of relaxing after a particularly rewarding workout.

“Muse goes on to say that the entire Saratoga Springs Branch was designed so people can see everything that’s going on, whether it’s a game of basketball in the gym, the members pedaling away in the cardio area, or people doing laps in the pool.

“The space evokes a sense of energy and activity that’s contagious.”

Speaking about the pool, when John came up with his original plan for the building, most people’s reaction to the location of the pool was, “You can’t put the pool right off the lobby!”

And John’s response was, “Why not?”

Turns out he was right. While others thought that members were more interested in their privacy, John correctly gauged that it would be a success – and it is.

“The people really love the pool where it is,” he laughs.

The pool location also satisfies John’s passion for taking advantage of an orientation to natural southern lighting. The portico that travels the length of the building’s façade has the advantage of being shaded during the summer. But, in the winter, the sunlight streams through the windows into

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

THE Y’S OUTREACH the swimming pool area, and also probably does a nice job of melting any accumulating ice on the sidewalk outside.

During his planning and preparation on the Saratoga Springs Branch design, John also took into consideration the architecture in nearby Saratoga State Park, which was – of course – designed and constructed completely around the healing waters of the natural springs. In re-capturing and echoing the architectural aesthetic of those buildings and grounds, John created a structure that is true to the history of the surrounding community.

John recalls that, when they were planning and building the Saratoga Springs Branch, membership levels were at about 8,000 people, with the goal of increasing to about 10,000.

“Well, the membership level, in fact, shot up to 16,000 within a year of the new facility being opened.”

He goes on to say that, while part of the reason was the attractive design and layout of the building, the other huge factor included the resources that were now available to its members. In fact, John says there is nothing more rewarding than seeing the equipment, staff and programming that is available, as well as witnessing the diversity of the YMCA membership.

“We have young, old, handicapped people, people in wheelchairs, cancer survivors, ‘Silver Sneakers’ members. I am so passionate about seeing all of these people, particularly the older members, in the café, working out on the upstairs track, or taking part in the classes up there.”

He calls the Saratoga Springs branch a “Y unlike any fitness facility or health club,” in that “Your membership pays for the variety of youth programs, programs for senior members, or those who are surviving illness as it does for your own membership.”

John also says that one of the most important things about working on YMCA projects is Bill Dake. When the staff and the Y Board are working on a new building project, “We work out the design and then Bill steps right in and gets the best builder. And, he’s able to get really great pricing for the project. He brings so much to a project, and there are few people for whom I have so much respect,” says John.

“I’m there if Bill’s there on a project. He brings it from an idea to a reality and he provides ‘real-time’ help,” adds John.

“

The spac evokes a e s of ENERG ense Y ACTIVITY and t CONTAG hat’s IOUS.” The biggest challenge was connecting the old phase and the new phases architecturally and in a way that would promote a good sense of flow, as well as an aesthetic that isn’t normally present in what he jokingly calls “the land of the big boxes,” referring to the surrounding stores and malls.

Of course, the plan to re-vamp Wilton was accelerated by a fire at the facility, necessitating the removal of the old tennis courts and surrounding structure. The new courts, as well as the impressive gymnastics area and the indoor fieldhouse are further examples of the Y’s responsiveness to the needs of the surrounding community.

The Skidmore tennis team uses the Wilton YMCA throughout the winter as their practice courts, and they also hold matches there during regular season in inclement weather.

The fieldhouse accommodates academic athletic teams, as well as private sports clubs and groups in the area. And the connectivity of the three buildings that make up the Wilton campus creates a natural and logical flow for members.

The Wilton branch brought ‘real-time’ challenges of its own.

John says the project was quite “tricky,” because all of the parking was on one side of the existing structure, and they had to work with the tennis courts that were already there, as well as the “giant existing warehouse,” he says.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 11

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & HEALTHY LIVING

“...promise of helping to build a healthy mind, spirit and body for members of all ages.”

12 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

C

harles Wait, Chairman of the Board of Adirondack Trust Company, has vivid memories of going to the old YMCA when it occupied the building that is now Temple Sinai on North Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

“The second floor was the gymnasium, with basketball hoops located at either end of the large room. The strange thing was, there was a fireplace at each end of the room and they had mounted the hoops above them!”

His reminiscences get even more interesting.

“I also remember being about 10 years old and taking boxing lessons in the basement of the temple. They would rope off a corner of the room, put two kids at a time into the ring and blindfold them! Then, they’d tell us to start swinging.”

He knows it sounds crazy, but he insists that was how they were taught boxing.

“Of course, if you can’t see, you’re going to naturally start swinging wildly, roundhouse-style.” When I asked if he ever got punched or knocked out, he replied, “No, that’s where I was fortunate. I have really long arms.”

This was all happening during the 50s and 60s. Wait also remembers taking swimming lessons at the Skidmore pool on Union Avenue and visiting the Y when it occupied the former orphanage building on Ludlow Street. So, as far as the YMCA is concerned, Charles Wait has quite literally been around the block more than a few times.

By the time the YMCA made the “bold” decision to move to its current location on West Avenue, Wait was skeptical at first. “I thought it would be too far for most people to go,” he said. Needless to say, he is very happy that he was wrong in his initial assessment of the move.

COO, Kelly Armer also remembers the earlier days, although not as far back as Charles Wait. When she started in childcare at the Y in 1989, they weren’t big enough to embrace and implement the nationwide initiatives the YMCA was piloting.

“We weren’t known in the community for our mission work. We didn’t have the facilities and we couldn’t offer the programs.”

Kelly recalls that, when groundbreaking happened at the Saratoga Springs Branch, she was on maternity leave.

“We were struggling to hire a development person so, instead, I was promoted to COO/Development Director.”

Although she didn’t have the experience, Kelly is not one to back down from a challenge. She came back early from maternity leave and jumped in with both feet, engaging members of the community, and enlisting their support for the construction. She also got to help with the design of the branch, including everything from choosing tile colors to selecting lockers.

“I didn’t realize that I would love doing this,” she says.

Although she didn’t have the experience, Kelly is not one to back down from a challenge. She came back early from maternity leave and jumped in with both feet, engaging members of the community, and enlisting their support for the construction. She also got to help with the design of the branch, including everything from choosing tile colors to selecting lockers.

“I didn’t realize that I would love doing this,” she says.

THAT WAS THEN. . . THIS IS NOW! Today, the Saratoga Regional YMCA offers 550 different programs and www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & HEALTHY LIVING classes each week between its five branches. From, Aerobics to Zumba and KidzCare to Silver Sneakers, the Y makes good on its promise of helping to build a healthy mind, body and spirit for members of all ages.

Beginning with KidzCare programs, parents can bring their children – from eight-weeks to ten years old – knowing they will be cared for in a safe and nurturing environment. Pre-school programs and before and after school programs offered at the Saratoga Springs and Wilton branches work to instill the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. Just take a trip to the Wilton branch and you’ll see four garden boxes outside the entrance, each painted a different color and each with one of those four core values printed in bright colors on the front.

All of the youth programs adhere to a “screen-free” policy. The goal is to instill in children, from a very early age, an intellectual curiosity and a love for learning, as well as a love of active play and social interactions.

“Our goal is to get kids off tech and back to nature,” says Kelly.

All it takes is a walk around the grounds of the Saratoga Springs branch to see the “screen-free” policy in action.

The outdoor covered pavilion with row upon row of picnic tables, holds kids’ backpacks, swim towels and other gear to ensure complete fun on a summer day. The beautiful and recently completed outdoor space – rain or shine is the perfect venue for ensuring fun and play all day long. With a rustic exposed beam roof overhead, a little summer shower is no impediment to a day of learning, making new friends and having fun.

Continuing on the tour to the rear of the building is the archery pavilion, and the activity areas. And before long, the outdoor ropes course and zip line will be open for business.

For kids who are a little older, there’s a daily travel camp. Parents can send their kids for one week, or they can opt for the entire nine weeks of summer. And the kids get to enjoy amusement and water parks, horseback-riding, summer fairs and sporting events.

WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE COMMUNITY. This year, for the first time, the YMCA collaborated with Saratoga Performing Arts Center and the National Dance Institute to offer “The Performance Project: Youth in Motion.” This was a new education initiative developed by SPAC and the National Dance Institute to get more children engaged in dance and artistic movement. Twenty children from Saratoga Regional YMCA joined 40 other local children and another 30 kids from NYC to perform onstage.

Kelly, who was backstage helping out for two days before the performance, says the experience gave her “goosebumps,” as all the children’s hard work culminated in presenting the opening performance before Alvin Ailey took the stage.

“I would love to see us do more arts in the future,” says Kelly.

SRYMCA CEO Sean Andrews, who came to Saratoga from the Greater New York City YMCA, calls the Saratoga Regional YMCA “a gem of a Y,” and he continues to be amazed by the leadership and the Y’s breadth of impact on the community. He was particularly excited about what he called “the tremendous collaborative spirit of the community,” and he cited the Ballston Spa School District’s addition of aquatic services that they’ve begun offering at the Ballston Spa High School – with the YMCA, of course – and extending the program to include school age children up to adults and seniors.

Another example of the extraordinary interaction between the YMCA and the community is the long-running partnership between the Y and the Navy. For the last ten years, the YMCA has

worked with the Navy to provide health and wellness services to enlisted men and women, and their families.

“We have military spouses who work here at the Y,” says Sean, “and their kids are able to take advantage of all of our programs, too. We even had a visit from the ‘Number Two’ Admiral in the entire Navy,” says Sean. There is a very high level of interest in the relationship between the Saratoga Regional YMCA and local Navy personnel, something the Navy would like to see replicated elsewhere in the country.

Sean goes on to talk about the stellar early childhood program that is offered at the Malta Childcare center.

“The staff there really knock it out of the park and the program consistently receives high ratings.” The Universal Pre-K offered there is possible through our partnership with the Ballston Spa School District – another instance of collaboration in action.

The Intergenerational Preschool Program is perhaps one of the most socially meaningful of the programs the YMCA offers.

Working in concert with the Wesley Community, the program brings together older adults and young children to learn, laugh and grow through group activities and positive interactions. As children in the program learn the values of compassion, respect and caring, the older participants receive the gift of giving and receiving unconditional love and a feeling of renewed purpose and belonging.

And then there’s LIVESTRONG. The YMCA partnered with the organization to offer physical activities designed to help adult survivors achieve their health goals.

In November 2012, the Saratoga Regional YMCA participated in their first LIVESTRONG at the YMCA pilot program, with six participants. Jenny Killian, Membership Engagement Coordinator at the Saratoga Springs Branch, is one of a three-person team who work to continue the successes of this program which, incidentally, is completely free of charge to the survivors and their support person. And, participants do not have to be YMCA

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 13

members in order to join the group. “We try to meet as many of their needs as possible, but there are no strict requirements. Each person works within their own limitations.”

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is about so much more than just attainment of physical goals. Survivors, along with a family member or a support person, work together with instructors and other survivors and, in the process, create bonds and relationships that last long after the program has been completed.

Cindy Swadba is a great spokesperson for both LIVESTRONG and the YMCA. She is a lifelong member of the Y, joining her first YMCA program in her hometown of Springfield, MA at age six.

Her first job was as a YMCA lifeguard and she went on to work for the organization after graduation from college, first at the Clifton Park YMCA, and later working at the Schenectady location.

“Forty years later, as a 62-year old, I am a beneficiary of all this accumulated goodwill,” says Cindy. Last year, after undergoing surgery for breast cancer, Cindy enrolled in LIVESTRONG at the YMCA. She was also undergoing chemotherapy at the same time, and she recalls that a lot of the training and exercise was done while sitting in a chair.

For Cindy, it wasn’t just about the physical exercise. “For me, it was so important to feel like I had a purpose again.”

Today, Cindy is now a co-chairperson on the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA fundraising committee and she sees herself as coming full circle on her journey, in which the YMCA has played an enormous part.

In 2015, 40 survivors participated in LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, with plans to increase that number as they expand the program into the Battenkill and Malta branches. Jenny will be contacting the 78 people on her list of cancer survivors interested in participating in the program and she doesn’t expect to have any trouble filling seats for the next session.

A SPIRIT OF GIVING TO THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES You can’t have a conversation about the YMCA’s programs without talking about the Annual Scholarship Campaign. Each year, the YMCA awards scholarships to individuals and families who are experiencing financial hardship and who, in many cases, need help giving their children access to the enriching programs offered by the Y, whether it’s B.A.S.E. (Before & After School Enrichment), P.R.E.P. (Pre-Teen Recreational & Enrichment Program) or Summer Camp.

To echo Susan Dake, long-time supporter of the YMCA, “No child is ever turned away from the Y…..period.”

And, it’s fair to say that philosophy and spirit of giving extends beyond children.

Regardless of age, if a member of the community is going through financial difficulties, he or she can apply to the scholarship program. In 2015 alone, the SRYMCA gave $1.2 million in scholarships. The goal of their Annual Scholarship Campaign, Mission 416, was to raise enough money to offer 416 memberships, equivalent to $235,000. They were able to surpass this goal, raising nearly $250,000 and gifting 442 scholarships and, in 2016, the YMCA will continue to expand its support for the community.

14 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & HEALTHY LIVING

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 15

“

FIVE BRANCHES, ONE MISSION When we talk about the YMCA, too often all we focus on the West Avenue and the Wilton branches,” says Tim Provost, current President of the Board of Trustees. “It’s so important not to lose sight of the Y’s mission and what we bring to each community that we serve.”

WILTON In traveling around recently to each of the outlying branches in the region, I was struck by the truth of Tim’s statement. I started first at the Wilton branch. Having never been there, I was eager to see what John Muse did to change the “big box” effect into an inviting, open space that offers so many of the same programs and activities, but also many others that are very different from its “sister” branch in Saratoga.

Like the Saratoga Springs Branch, upon arrival there is an openness and energy about the place that is palpable. My tour guide, Branch Director Chris Defibaugh, has been with the YMCA for 13 years, serving as the Wilton branch director for the past four.

Chris also heads up the branch’s personal training program and is understandably proud of the 32,000 square foot facility. While this facility may not see as high a volume of traffic as the Saratoga Springs branch, Chris notes that the typical number of “scans” per month – meaning the number of visits – is approximately twelve thousand.

“During this time of year, the number goes up to about 30 thousand scans per month,” he tells me. Not too shabby.

In addition to the sea of cardiovascular equipment, the weight-training area is expansive and offers a huge array of free-weights and assisted machines to accommodate the most rigorous of weight-training regimens. There is also a Hot Yoga room, and two different KidzCare areas where parents can leave their toddlers while they work out.

Tennis Program reached 1,000 youth participants in Junior Tennis Program, in addition to housing competitive tennis leagues of all ages and ability levels.

The indoor fieldhouse accommodates lacrosse, soccer, and other field sports throughout the year. In 2015, the Y’s outreach through youth programs in the fieldhouse rose to 873 registrants, making a significant impact on youth development throughout the community.

But it isn’t just the state of the art facility that Chris is proud of. Walking outside, toward the rear of the parking lot, I see an expansive community garden, planted and maintained by staff and members on a volunteer basis. Members are encouraged to participate in the community garden program and literally reap the benefits in the form of fresh vegetables throughout the growing season. The overflow from the garden is donated to the Franklin Community Center and, so far this year, the Wilton garden has provided them with over 40 pounds of fresh vegetables. That’s a lot of cabbage!

The finishing touch on the grounds of the Wilton Y are the four garden boxes, decorated by children enrolled in YMCA programs, with the four core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility painted on each.

The second floor holds another weight-training area that is often used during personal training sessions and by varsity athletes.

Wilton boasts a USGA-level gymnastics team, who compete throughout the region. The old warehouse space has been converted into a cavernous area, covered with thick gym mats and containing all the equipment necessary for a budding Simone Biles. The gymnastics area is also a very popular birthday destination and sees a lot of activity throughout the year.

The indoor tennis facility, with a total of eight courts, is one of the Wilton branch’s more popular features, with teams playing throughout the late fall and winter months, in addition to being used by the Skidmore tennis team. In 2015 alone, the

16 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

Other Branches, Other Services,

FIVE BRANCHES,Same ONE MISSION Mission.

CORINTH Driving through the downtown area of Corinth, I kept rechecking my GPS for directions. “Surely, it must be somewhere near the main part of town,” I thought. Well. It isn’t far from downtown. But it only takes about a mile or so to go from small businesses to farm fields.

When I arrived at the Y, Alysse Kasowski, Branch Director greeted me. “I bet you’re wondering why there’s a Y in a cornfield!” She must’ve been reading my mind.

While the Corinth branch is the smallest of the SRYMCA’s facilities, it doesn’t lack any of the energy, dynamism or community feel to it. Its members are extremely loyal and, like the Wilton branch, they also have a large community garden maintained by staff and members, available for all to share.

The Saratoga Regional YMCA purchased the former community building in 2004 and it initially contained pre-school programs in one half of the building and a fitness center in the other half.

But, there wasn’t a big need in the community for a pre-school program at the time, so the facility was converted once again and became strictly a fitness center.

Like all of the other branches, it offers a range of yoga, Zumba and other classes, without which Alysse says the community members would be lost. The LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program will also begin to offer sessions in Corinth and the team there has just completed its certification training.

The weight room takes up the better part of the first floor, and there is a cardio room with 15 brand new spin bikes. Also like the other branches, the sense of community is strong here and Alysse and her staff are the main reasons for that.

Her outreach into the community has resulted in sponsorships from local businesses such as the Hudson River Community Credit Union, who donated several computers for members to use in a spacious media room.

Fitness isn’t limited to just the indoor space. Alysse and other fitness instructors hold regular bootcamp and agility classes that take place both inside and outdoors. To help them in this effort, the Corinth Department of Public Works donated several large tires from its heavy equipment for members to use in obstacle course training.

As a member of the YMCA organization for 13 years, Alysse is committed to seeing the Y continue to flourish in a town that has seen more than its fair share of hard times. She has also been no stranger to tough times. In 2001, after a serious auto accident left her with a broken pelvis, sternum, sacrum and other injuries, Alysse wasn’t even walking, let alone exercising.

Determined to recover and return to her former active self, but in difficult financial situation, Alysse applied for and received scholarship aid from the SRYMCA. It wasn’t long before she was working for the Y’s Malta branch as a Front Desk Associate.

A few years later, when the Corinth Director position opened, she decided to apply for the positon. She is a native of Corinth and was excited about working in her own community’s Y. “When Jim Letts, who was CEO at the time, asked her, “What qualifies you for the position,” she told him the story of her injuries and how the Y helped her. Thirteen years later, Alysse is steadfast as ever in her commitment to keeping the Corinth YMCA open and available as a valued resource to a community that has struggled so much.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 17

BATTENKILL In mid-January 2011, the YMCA’s Battenkill Branch opened to meet the needs of residents in Cambridge, Greenwich and Schuylerville. The building had formerly been home to an IGA grocery store, but you would never know that, looking at it now.

Using the same classic brick and white column design of the Saratoga Springs branch, the Battenkill facility is “Gorgeous!” says Provost. And, it is.

“This was a project that was highly endorsed by the community, and we worked closely with the local officials during the renovation and construction of the new facility,” he recalls.

The Y was also able to purchase the piece of vacant land directly adjacent to the new Y, leaving them with the option to expand in the future.

Bill Blake, the Battenkill Branch Director, has been a part of the local community for his entire life. Married with three grown children, he is a former drill sergeant in the U.S. Army and a member of the Reserves for seven years. After working for UPS for 30 years, he retired, only to begin his new career as the Y’s Health & Wellness Coach and four years ago becoming its Director.

Bill radiates energy and dynamism – and even a hint of the Army drill sergeant. I’m sure his fitness classes give people a lot more than their money’s worth.

Bill calls the Battenkill YMCA a “focal point of the town.”

Members come from Salem, Argyle, Cambridge, Easton and Schuylerville and he estimates that about 40 percent of the Greenwich population alone are members.

Like the other branches, Battenkill offers KidzCare, yoga, Tabata, Zumba, bootcamp and many other options. Its youth fitness programs offer classes like “Kidz Hip-Hop and Jazz” and Zumba Kids.

They offer B.A.S.E., the Y’s before and after-school enrichment program at Greenwich Central School for children in Kindergarten through sixth grade, which includes indoor and outdoor activities, as well as homework assistance and group games.

Bill is also excited to be offering LIVESTRONG at the YMCA in Battenkill for the first time this year and he anticipates good support for this program from the community.

With 33 employees, the Battenkill is a significant employer in the community. Currently, Battenkill has approximately 1700 members and growing. In 2015, there were 95 scholarship recipients, including providing aid to children from a homeless family. This service enabled the parents to have quality childcare while looking for work and housing.

18 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

FIVE BRANCHES, ONE MISSION MALTA Amanda Brandeburg is the Malta Fitness Director and she calls it a “very close-knit environment.”

f o t i b e l t t i l “a r o f g n i h t y r e v e everyone...”

“Everybody knows everybody else here and, when we notice that someone hasn’t shown up for a class or to work out for a couple of days or more, we call them to make sure they’re ok.”

Amanda says that nobody has ever been annoyed by receiving one of these calls; in fact, she says most people are very thankful and pleased that their absence has been noticed. This tight bond among the 40 full-time and part-time staff and the roughly 1,590 members is not something you typically see in a commercial fitness facility.

Amanda is a great example of the collaborative relationship between the YMCA and the armed forces in our area. Her husband is an active duty member of the military and she has been an employee of the YMCA for two years. As a certified fitness instructor, Amanda is also a LIVESTRONG at the YMCA Coordinator and she handles all of the program certification for staff at every branch. Amanda is very proud that there have been 191 LIVESTRONG participants since the program began.

The Malta facility has “a little bit of everything for everyone,” says Amanda. In addition to the more traditional assisted weight-training machines and cardiovascular equipment, the branch has what Amanda refers to as “non-traditional adaptable equipment.” These include machines like rope trainers and something called “Ski erg,” a machine that mimics the upper body movements of a cross-country skier.

The general purpose room is home to 35 different classes per week and there is also a large room for yoga and other classes that require a quieter atmosphere.

Because the members spoke and the YMCA listened, there are now twice as many babysitting opportunities for members who bring their children to KidzCare, and they have also increased their personal training services.

The Malta branch partnered with Saratoga Hospital to host a running clinic and a safe bicycling program in 2015. And the staff traveled to local businesses, encouraging and motivating corporate wellness by offering exercise programs onsite.

Amanda also takes credit for initiating the YMCA’s partnership with 9 Miles East – a local farm that offers delicious homegrown salads and other entrees to customers in the area.

They have installed small refrigerators stocked daily with fresh salads, premade dinners for four, as well as vegan and glutenfree options. They also have “Go Bags” filled with fresh seasonal produce that people can pick up at the gym and save the trip to the grocery store.

This program has been very popular at every Y location where it is available and it really underscores the Y’s commitment to promoting community-wide health and wellness, as well as supporting other local businesses.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 19

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MALTA CHILDCARE Saratoga Regional YMCA opened its doors to local children in 1995, with the Malta Childcare Center. Since then, it has been offering the best in childcare for infants and children through age five.

Nicole McKinney, Director of the facility, started here in 2010 as an infant Lead Teacher, and she has grown with her precious little charges into her current position.

“When I first came here, I had been looking for a position in the Universal Pre-K program,” she says. “But, it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the young infants. There are so many ‘aha’ moments we all get to be a part of everyday.”

The secure facility, located on Saratoga Village Blvd., is open Monday through Friday, year- round between 6:30am and 6:00pm. Its open-door pick-up and drop-off policy is geared toward families’ hectic lifestyles. Some children arrive right at 6:30 and others don’t stroll in until 7am. Regardless of when they arrive, there are always a team of dedicated and highly qualified teachers and certified childcare development associates on hand to greet the children and get them ready to begin their day of learning, playing and socializing.

When I arrived there recently to take a tour of the facility, the kids had just come back inside from a busy morning of outdoor activities, which included playground time for the older children and stroller time along the Boulevard for little Polliwogs – tiny tots who haven’t yet learned to walk.

“We try to be outdoors as much as possible,” Nicole tells me, but if the weather doesn’t cooperate, there is a large indoor climbing and running space.

As we head into the Polliwog and Minnow areas, I see that each room has at least two adults on hand to tend to the needs of each child. They’re getting ready for their midmorning naps and, even though they all look pretty sleepy from their active morning, they are all curious to greet a friendly new face and interact.

From there, we go across the hall to visit the Tadpoles and Guppies. These are the kids, ranging in age from 18-36 months. Again, I am struck with their friendliness and their high comfort level in their surroundings. Teachers are busily readying cozy little floor mats for each toddler’s snooze-time.

20 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

TITLE

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

There is one little boy in the group who seems a bit sad. Nicole tells me he has only been at the Center for a few months.

When he first arrived, he only spoke Chinese and didn’t like being separated from his mommy. Nicole says that, while he still has his moments of loneliness – particularly around naptime – he has already begun to speak and understand some words in English. As his socialization and his understanding improves, it will become easier for him to become acclimated to the group.

Nicole also points out to me that every single room in the facility has its own telephone, and parents can call their child’s room at any time during the day to speak to the teacher or to the child. She adds that each staff person is certified in firstaid, CPR, and must take continuing education courses each year. The facility is a certified “MAT” building, “Which means that we can administer medication here,” Nicole explains.

The Center also uses a software system geared towards childcare and early learning centers, that allows for a free flow of information – on a daily basis – between teacher and parent. Each day, parents receive an email from the teacher, giving them detailed information about their child’s day: what they ate, how well they slept, if they reached any important milestones during the day, or if they just had a tough day and need some extra cuddling when they get home.

Malta Childcare also has the only full-day Universal Pre-K program in the area. Currently, 15 children participate in this program, which operates under a subsidy from the Ballston Spa School District and runs on a school calendar schedule.

When I arrive in these classrooms, the kids are just finishing their lunch, which arrives fresh each day, catered by Panza’s

Restaurant. The meals always include a hot lunch, with fruits and veggies. And of course, food is always free of peanuts or other ingredients that the children may be allergic to.

Kids in the Malta Childcare Center also take introductory swim lessons for a 14-week period, beginning in January and continuing through April. The KinderGym program, for threeyear old’s and up, is a PE class that starts in October and lasts through April. Both of these programs are offered at no extra cost to the families and provide the children with additional activities that are not available at other childcare facilities.

Finally, the teachers are certified at a number of levels, some with CDA’s some with Bachelor degrees, and two with Masters degrees in education. Many of them have been with the Y Childcare Center for years, one in particular – Miss Mary – has been here for 21 years.

As I say my goodbye’s to the children and teachers, I know that – as a future grandparent – I would feel very secure leaving my darling grandson or granddaughter in the capable, caring and compassionate hands of the teachers and staff at the Malta Childcare Center.

From Polliwogs and Minnows to SilverSneakers, the Saratoga Regional YMCA continues to have a positive impact on the community on so many levels and for so many people. Its’ versatility, the variety of programming and outreach it offers in each community, and its ability to evolve and remain relevant as a vitally important piece of the entire region are what makes the Saratoga Regional YMCA so special.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 21

150 YEAR

1866

T

The Saratoga Springs “Young Men’s Christian Association” was organized in 1866. Over the next few years the YMCA acquired “rooms” in several different buildings along Broadway, where it sponsored lectures, social occasions and a library. By the early 1880’s The Young Men’s Christian Association membership and interest in the Y had dwindled until it was not much more than a memory. In 1887, Mr. Lee Starke of Atlanta, Georgia, arrived in Saratoga Springs and encouraged members of the community to re-establish the YMCA. Through the financial aid of Spencer Trask, the Y was able to rent rooms in the Lincoln Hotel. In the spring of 1888 they signed a three year lease and settled into the Shackleford Building (the current Granite Palace.)

This photo is of one early location at Phila and Putnam Street.

22 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

By this time, the Saratoga Springs YMCA has adopted the philosophy of “Muscular Christianity,” which is predicated on the belief that a man’s wellbeing depends on a perfect balance of mind, body and spirit. Physical exercise at this point in time resembled gymnastics and what we today call “Boot Camp.” YMCA’s across the country were beginning to contrast their own buildings and incorporate gymnasiums and swimming pools.

RS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY

1891 OUR YOUNG MEN

O

Our Young Men was a publication composed by the YMCA beginning October 1891, at a cost of 25 cents per year.

In these examples, one of many guest lecturers is highlighted. Cost for members to attend was free. It was at the request of Spencer Trask, of New York and Saratoga, that the state committee decided to organize a Young Men’s Christian Association at Saratoga. Mr. Trask and his father, Alanson Trask, assumed the most generous supporters of the Association. The organization was effected July 26, 1887, in the Lincoln Club rooms. On October 14, 1887, the Association took rooms in the Irving through the generosity of H.M. Levingston. On May 1, 1888, it moved into the Shackleford Building on Broadway and entered the present rooms August 13, 1892. The next move, it is hoped, will be into a well located and well equipped building owned by the Association.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 23

150 YEAR

1901

O

On the morning of July 19, 1899, there was a gasoline explosion in a bicycle repair shop which destroyed the building which also housed the YMCA. Just prior to this, at a special meeting of the Board of Directors on November 5, 1897, a gift from H.M. Levingston’s offer was accepted and on Sunday, November 3, 1901, the new building was dedicated on the same site as the previous building. It featured a gymnasium, bowling alley, swimming pool, parlors, reception and game room areas, library and reading room, and a twenty-five room dormitory for men.

24 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

RS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY

1906

T

BROADWAY 1ST YEAR BOOK

This first annual prospectus of the Young Men’s Christian Association of Saratoga Springs is published that the people of this city may become better informed upon the place this institution is filling in the city and the part it expects to take in year before us. After the new building on Broadway was opened, the YMCA was able to offer many more activates on a regularly scheduled basis. An annual prospectus was published so that the people of Saratoga could become better acquainted with the YMCA’s mission: “The YMCA aims to guide young men in making a successful investment of their leisure hours.” Offerings were made in the Physical Social Life and Religious Works Departments.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 25

150 YEAR

1926 THE JOCKEY Y A August 10, 1926, the YMCA of Saratoga announced that it would build a branch at the track of the Saratoga Racing Association. This would be the first Race Track YMCA in the world. Each year the YMCA had been ministering the needs of many men connected with the racetrack. The YMCA’s work with these men had been limited in the past due to the fact that the branch building on Broadway was a mile and a half away from most places on the track. The new “Jockey Y” would be located directly across from the racetrack. This new and conveniently located branch would now be able to minister to the over 2,000 men and boys who worked at the track.

26 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

The new building has many amenities that helped ensure the success of the venture. Included in the plans were a library and a reading room, a games room fully equipped with billiard and pool tables, a bath room with modern showers and an excellent outdoor swimming pool. Richard Wilson, President of the Racing Association, heartily endorsed the project and backed it personally and professionally to the full extent of his power. This building still exists today at 246 Union Avenue.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

RS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY

1933

By placing this full page ad in The Saratogian newspaper in 1933, the YMCA makes a public appeal for funds needed in order to remain in operation.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 27

150 YEAR

1939 A

INTERIM PERIOD AND THE DR. FREDERIC J. RESSEGUIE MEMORIAL YMCA

After the YMCA closed in 1939, the Board continued to meet. But, as early as April 1947 it was noted in The Saratogian that “many youth have sighed for those good old days of the Y and youth centers.” A study was conducted during the last quarter of 1947 to ascertain whether Saratoga needed a YMCA. The answer was an unequivocal yes. Dr. Frederic J. Resseguie, a member of the Board, believed so strongly that the YMCA be reactivated, that upon his death on May 14, 1956 he bequeathed his home at 509 Broadway and $22,000 for remodeling the Y. For this to happen quickly, there was a stipulation in the will that required the Y to be opened within a year of his death of the gift would go to The American Red Cross. The Board quickly asked for the assistance of the State Executive Committee and on May 12, 1957, with two days to spare, a new Y was dedicated in Saratoga.

When the Board made the decision the revive the YMCA, it hired Robert Morse in January 1957 as its executive director. Under the direction of Morse, the YMCA was successful in transforming the dormant organization into an active element in the community. Morse credited the achievement to the many volunteers in the community without whom this would not have been possible.

28 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

Even though the Y had no gym or pool, there were able to use facilities already existing within Saratoga Springs.

Skidmore College allowed Y members to use their pool and the city high school permitted Y members regular use of their gym. As a result of a membership drive, the Y’s rosters soon reached over 1,200 names. Money was raised through different fundraisers, such as pancake breakfasts sponsored by the Y Women’s Service Club (the female students of Skidmore College were great donators of cashmere sweaters to YMCA sales.)

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

RS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY

1965 HAWLEY HOME O

On December 17, 1965, the newspaper headline read: “YMCA Buys Hawley Building.” This was a great acquisition for the Y, as it enabled them to expand beyond the walls of 509 Broadway. The Hawley Home at 64-66 Ludlow Street was originally an orphanage. It contained two game rooms, small meeting rooms, a kitchen, and offices. For the price of $10,001 the Y became its new owners.

With the legal disputes safely behind them, the Y was able to concentrate on what it did best – serving the community. Times had been changing with more women entering the workforce and it became apparent that childcare outside the home was desperately needed. On February 15, 1971, the YMCA opened the first childcare facility in Saratoga County. After working on the project for 22 months, the Y was able to offer places for fifteen children, three to five years of age. They hoped to have room for 35-45 children by summer.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 29

150 YEAR

1971 262 BROADWAY T The Y continued to expand at a great rate and although the Hawley Home contributed to that growth, the Y was desperately in need of its own building where it could provide facilities for physical activity. Shortly after its acquisition of the Hawley Home, the Y began its search for property where it could realize its long awaited dream and provide a gym and pool. Four sites were considered as early as 1968.

The site of the old Convention Hall that had burned down in 1965 was selected and approval from the City was granted on September 16, 1969. Fundraising began in the summer of 1970 with a gift of $100,000 from Mrs. Charles Shipman (Joan Whitney) Payson, owner of the New York Mets.

On Sunday, December 5, 1971, the new Y was dedicated. The Saratogian boasted that this “remarkable facility” was a “dream come true!” “After nearly two decades of dreaming, over five years of planning and less than sixteen months of actual construction, the new Saratoga County Y has been completed”.

30 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

The new facility was the envy of many cities in what this new building provided the community of Saratoga Springs.

It housed a swimming pool and a gymnasium, in addition to an exercise room, squash and handball courts, sauna, steam room, massage room, meeting rooms and a kitchen.

The new facility afforded the YMCA the luxury of being able to expand its membership and offer an increasingly wide selection of programs. The community responded and membership in the 1980’s increased at an astounding rate.

The main factors driving this dramatic growth were the increased awareness of the benefits of physical fitness and the increased need for childcare outside the home, as more women returned to work after starting families.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

RS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY

W

1983

RACQUET CLUB, WILTON

Within a decade of the dedication of the new Broadway Branch, the Y was again evaluating the alternatives in meeting the demands of its membership base. The Board considered expanding the building upwards on its existing foundation. This did not prove financially viable, nor did it address the issue of parking. Parking was a problem naturally associated with increased membership to a facility that did not have its own parking lot.In the autumn of 1983, the Saratoga Racquet Club located at 20 Old Gick Road, became available at a very favorable price. It was an ideal place for the Y to expand, as it had all the amenities required of a fitness facility already in place. There was an existing tennis program, gymnasium, handball courts and locker and shower rooms. The space also provided a great deal of flexibility. The Y had learned in its 25 years since reactivation that flexibility was key in meeting the needs of the community. In 1984 the YMCA acquired the facility and the Wilton Branch came into existence. Membership immediately increased after opening and offered many programs in addition to tennis, including gymnastics, weight training and preschool.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 31

150 YEAR

1990’s

MALTA CHILD CARE

A

Another decade passed and the mid 1990’s saw the need for full time day care for children in Saratoga County growing by leaps and bounds. Space at the Broadway facility was cramped.

A large local employer expressed the needs of its employees for more access to daycare. In 1995, space became available at Saratoga Village off Exit 12 in Malta. The YMCA felt that this central location would benefit many. The Center is licensed to care for children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years old. Malta Child Care opened with an enrollment of 5 children and by the end of 2004 had grown to 75, which is the current number allotted for that size building.

2000 CORINTH I

In 2000, as the 21st Century dawned, the YMCA was again expanding to fulfill the needs of the community.

The Town of Corinth had built a community center in order to provide a venue where community events could take place. The YMCA of Saratoga purchased the building and transformed it into a daycare center.

It was later expanded to include a fitness center and in the summer months offers swimming lessons at the Hudson River. Membership today stands at over 500.

32 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

RS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY

2004 F

MALTA FITNESS CENTER

F

For quite some time, the Town of Malta had been approaching local YMCA associations in the hopes of establishing a facility for the community ofMalta. With the Malta Child Care Center firmly established at SaratogaVillage and with adjacent space available, the YMCA of Saratoga added a “store front” fitness center in order to test the market and plant the seeds in the community for a full service facility. Malta Fitness opened in December of 2004 and within thirty days had over 200 members.

Within six months, membership had soared to 800! In 2010 the Malta Fitness Center leased an additional 2200 square feet to accommodate the increased membership, which today stands at 1,681.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 33

150 YEAR

2007 T

SARATOGA BRANCH

The success of Malta Fitness was yet another indication that there was a need in the community that the YMCA could fill. There had been talk for many years that the Broadway Branch was too small to accommodate the increased membership. In December of 2003, combined membership for all three branches was 6,900. A market study was conducted to ascertain the feasibility of building a new full service YMCA facility within the City of Saratoga Springs. The study indicated that membership would need to grow to about 13,000 to support a new building. A decision was made to forge ahead with plans. Field research was done to ensure that the new Y for Saratoga would be a state of the art facility second to none. Plans were drawn up, fundraising began in the summer of 2005 and the “Ground Breaking” was celebrated on April 6, 2006. The community was definitely ready for the new Saratoga Springs Branch: membership at the beginning of 2006 was at 12,700, prior to the opening at the new building, just shy of the 13,000 member figure the market study indicated to sustain a new building after the facility was built.

The new facility would be 72,500 square feet built for fitness, swimming, preschool, with a gymnasium and an indoor track. With more programs and an increased number of sessions for each program, the YMCA believed that it would meet the needs of the community better than ever before. On February 19, 2007, the new Saratoga Springs facility opened on West Avenue. Currently membership stands at 17,300.

I

2010

In 2010 the YMCA of Saratoga petitioned YMCA of the USA to change the Association’s name. In July of 2011 the official name became the Saratoga Regional YMCA, to reflect our growth. The timing coincided with the new national YMCA name brand and logo change.

34 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

RS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY

O

BATTENKILL BRANCH

Officials in Washington County began expressing an interest in a YMCA branch in 2000, through correspondence with YMCA of the USA. In June of 2010, the Saratoga Regional YMCA announced plans to spend $1 Million to convert a former IGA grocery store into a YMCA branch on Main Street in Greenwich. The 8,600 square foot building, to be known as the Battenkill Branch, was leased from the Village of Greenwich. The branch consists of a fitness center with babysitting available for members. The opening took place on January 19, 2011, and welcomed 873 members in the first month. In March of 2013, the Y reached an agreement with the Village of Greenwich to purchase the building that houses the Battenkill Branch and an additional parcel for future expansion. Membership today stands at 1,591.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 35

150 YEAR

2011 O

WILTON BRANCH RENOVATIONS

On September 13, 2011, a ground breaking ceremony took place at the Wilton Branch for Phase 1 of a three part $7.5 Million expansion. The first phase housed four additional tennis courts, in 30,000 square feet, at a cost of $1.5 Million. The new courts opened in December 2011. Phase 2 included a gymnastics center, fitness area, locker rooms and child-care in a 35,000 square foot building. A grand opening ceremony was held in December of 2012. After a fire in the original building in October of 2013, the third renovation phase began in early 2014. Later that same year renovations were completed with an athletic training center and an 11,000 square foot field house. Membership at Wilton is 4,200.

36 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

RS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY

A

MOVING FORWARD

After the summer of 2011, when the construction of the new tennis facility at Wilton was begun, the remains of summer day camp were brought to its new home at the Saratoga Springs Branch. Tents were brought in to protect the campers from sun and rain. An archery area was set up and the group thrived. The Y sees 200 campers per day and a total of 1800 over the nine weeks of July and August. As day camp continues to be a popular and safe place for youth, the need for increased activities rises. The Y is now in the planning phase for a Family Outdoor Center which will include a permanent covered pavilion. With a current total membership of 25,000, one of every 3 people in Saratoga Springs is a member of the Saratoga Regional YMCA. The Y employs 735 staff.

With this look into the history of the YMCA in Saratoga Springs, we appreciate our heritage. From humble beginnings and with the determination of many Saratoga leaders, we look forward to the future and continuing to serve the community.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 37

OUR CAUSE OUR CAUSE

From left to right: Tim Provost, Mike Toohey and Bill Dak e with

their YMCA awards

OG

AC NIT OUNTY AR Y S SEW EW ER ER DIS EA SE TRIC ME T NT

4

6

7

10

11 5 1

6 2 EXISTING PLAY AREA

3

1. Pool Complex ition Add 2. Gymnasium 3. Pavilion 0 people) • Capacity (±30 Shed 4. Archery and ketball Bas rt Cou Half 5.

6. Activity Area Traverse Wall • Climb and • Tetherball (3) • Gaga Pit (2) • 4 Square (4) s 7. Athletic Field Line Zip 8.

Course 9. Adventure Lot 10. Parking & Drop Off 11. Parking Lot nt Sewer Easeme 12. Sanitary ement 13. Utility Eas

OVE NIA RH RGA EA RA D TR M AN OHA SM WK ISS PO ION WE LIN R CO E E RP AS .

EM EN T

EXISTING BUILDING

13

OVE NIA RH RGA EA RA D TR M AN OHA SM WK ISS PO ION WE LIN R CO E E RP AS .

EM EN T

8

50

9

0

25

50

FEET 1 INCH = 50

38 | SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY

100

ANCH TOGA BRSTE R PLAN YMCA SA6RA EXPANSION - MA 201

T

hat a struggling small Y in upstate New York could, in a relatively short period of time, become one of the premier YMCA’s in the Northeast – perhaps even in the entire country – is a testament to the Y leadership staff, the individuals working behind the scenes and the community itself,” says former Board member Phil Klein.

As the Saratoga Regional YMCA looks to the future, it continues to plan programs and expansions, always with the primary goal of enriching and supporting the community that has helped the Y accomplish so much. Board of Trustee President, Tim Provost calls himself an unabashed YMCA supporter. “I step back in wonder and awe of what the Y brings to the community.”

And he attributes that success in large degree to the “Very philanthropic community that is committed to the health and well-being of its residents and the programs the Y offers to support that commitment.” With that kind of ongoing and continued support from past, present, and future leaders being formed right now, the YMCA is already very close to completing its latest outdoor recreation area at the Saratoga Springs Branch.

Children are flourishing under the sprawling outdoor pavilion and on the athletic fields. Preliminary plans are being considered to add two more pools and a Youth Center and Café in the rear of the building. As the Battenkill Branch continues to make a strong impact on the surrounding towns, there may be opportunities in the coming decade to expand onto the piece of land adjacent to the existing building. And, Corinth will continue to offer the vital services and programs to its citizens, for whom it is such a crucial part of the community.

The Saratoga Regional YMCA – 150 years later – is a testament to the dedication, devotion and determination of a community that has given of its time, talent and resources to build – not only an edifice – but a living, evolving organization, whose sole purpose is to give back as generously as it has received.

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

www.saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com SRYMCA 150 th ANNIVERSARY | 39

Thank you to our MEMBERS, SUPPORTERS and DONORS,

PAST & PRESENT!

SRYMCA.ORG