Is It Your Turn Yet?

Is It Your Turn Yet?

July 2008

"Changes In The YMCA"

There are positive changes going on in our YMCA and I have committed to be part of it. As most of you know, I have sponsored this advertising for the YMCA for the past 12 years. Our YMCA is a crucial part of the fabric of our community in the Penquis area. We are the smallest population in New England with a YMCA. We are also the poorest region to have a YMCA. YES, there are challenges, but our YMCA should be the center of healthy activity in this region. Admittedly, these past five years have been a challenge. Although we have dedicated people, our youth programming, our community network, and facility has suffered.

If you have come into the ‘Y’ in the past few months, you have seen some very positive changes and a very positive group of individuals that have newly dedicated themselves to the YMCA’s success. At our annual meeting last Thursday, 12 enthusiastic, dedicated people were voted to be on our Board of Directors. This is exciting because the Board of Directors is like the coaches on a team. They direct, inspire and plan for the future. After being a Board member since I came in 1988, but being inactive over the past 8 years, I was asked and accepted the position of President of the YMCA Board. It was because of the new enthusiasm and leadership, that I accepted this position.

We want to engage YOU to be an active part of your YMCA. We pledge increasing customer service, improved programming, and most importantly, improved listening to you, the population, as to what you want from your Regional YMCA. We believe the YMCA should not be the community center in this region, but the “center of the community”.

Our new Board members are: Jason Brochu, Margie Gutierrez, Lisa Libby, Jen Fairbrother, David Lee Finley, Teresa Myers, George Merrill, Brenda Merrill, Amy Fagan-Cannon, Warren “Skip” MacDonald, Dick MacDonald, and Pamela Schmidt. They join existing members Jean Hitchcock, Jody Annis, Marie Louise Kemp, Dennis Ruksznis, Laurie Smith, Dennis Lyford, Jeff Kelly, Caroline Swett, Dick Swett and Jack Clukey. If you know any of them and have concerns about your YMCA, I encourage you to call them (including me) and share your vision on how to make the ‘Y’ the “Center of our Community”. Our children, young adults and our seniors deserve the best and we want to provide for everyone.

Please follow the YMCA program on our website at www.dover-foxcroft.org and click on the ‘Y’ under Piscataquis Regional YMCA You may ask questions or make comments through e-mail.

My family sometimes watches “Extreme Makeover – Home Edition”. As I arrived back from the annual meeting my wife was watching the program and saw a touching story of how a community came together to make a dream happen for a challenged individual and family. If we work together, we can make our YMCA the finest, most fun and active place in the State of Maine. I know our community can do this. I am asking for your support in helping this new Board navigate its way to the center of your heart and the top of your expectations.

Today is the first day of the rest of OUR life!!!

Article written by: Dr. Daniel L. Steinke