Helping to Rebuild Nations in Need

There is no other nonprofit quite like the Y. We are strengthening Central Florida communities and our impact is spreading to nations abroad. We were honored to receive a visit from the National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan on Saturday, November 5. The delegation, led by Lt. General Mohammad Z. Aghbar, President of the General Directory of Physical Education and Sport, chose the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA for theirUSvisit at the urging of the AAU and the US State Department.  The delegates spent their time learning about the role of the YMCA in strengthening the community.  The considerable expertise the Y has gained in this endeavor could be useful to a nation undergoing substantial re-building. Dr. Phillips’s Executive Director, Rexanne Paugh provided a thoughtful overview of the many programs, activities and volunteer opportunities that support the mission of the Y through youth development, healthy lifestyles, and social responsibility.   She followed her presentation with a thorough tour of the facilities with special attention to the wellness floor, swimming, early childhood development and basketball. General Aghbar was especially impressed by the attendance and participation from families and the many young people he met at the Y.   He was so impressed by the attention and courtesy of the children that he insisted on numerous photographs with them.   “If young people can be influenced by this kind of environment, terror will have no place to grow its roots,” the General observed. The visit was an exciting reinforcement of the unique learning that takes place at the Y – whether for an individual or a nation – that can be replicated in nations across the world.   Written by Randy Lyon, Chief Strategic Officer of the YMCA of Central Florida Follow Randy on Twitter