The Big 5-0
For the last 50 consecutive months, I’ve tried to give you some insight into our Y through these First Friday messages. I’ve covered everything from facility closings to new program launches. Together, we’ve celebrated many of your accomplishments that I’ve been blessed to witness and I think you’ve learned a bit about me (and some of the crazy shenanigans of my family) along the way.
This month will be the last month of these written First Friday messages. Please know that I’ve enjoyed lifting up your stories and updating you on the work of the Y in this format. I’m always flattered by your readership and by the interactions I have with our members when I’m out in our family centers and in the community. People often ask if I actually write each monthly entry and if “turkey knuckles” (from November 2023) are a real thing. The answer to both, by the way, is YES.
Starting next month, you will see a new monthly video format that we’re calling First Friday Conversations. The pivot to video is my attempt to put a face to the stories that make up our Y. Few days go by in this blessed work for this organization where I am not in awe of the incredible stories of commitment, family tradition, community, and accomplishment that happen across our footprint and I want to share them more directly with you.
So, THANK YOU for joining me on this journey over the past 50 months of First Friday and I hope you’ll continue to follow along in our new format.
To close out my message this year, I want to share a few big numbers that we’re proud of. This year has been a great year for the Y…one filled with new partners and programs and the reach of the Y has never been stronger.
- We now have over 75,000 members across our six counties.
- Nearly 13,000 participants benefitted from life-saving swim classes this year.
- Our camps were home to 3,000 future leaders this summer and employed hundreds of young adults.
- Volunteer coaches made it possible for us to serve 26,000 youth athletes in our sports programs.
- 3,700 donors have invested in the Y to ensure that the Y can be available to ALL.
Thank you, again, for your ongoing support of the Y. I pray that you all have a blessed holiday season and I look forward to seeing you in our facilities in the new year!
Until next time…
Kevin Bolding, President & CEO
YMCA of Central Florida
The Y. For a better us.®
First Friday messages offer a monthly peak behind the veil of leading through change from the Y’s President & CEO.