IMPACT Fall 2016A newsletter for supporters of the YMCA of Greater Seattle

JOIN OUR NEW MONTHLY GIVING CLUB How you can make a lasting impact on your community

You can now make a monthly contribution to your local Y through our

monthly giving club! As your total gift grows over time, so will the

impact of your gift on your local community.

Consider joining the club securely online today. Just let us know which

cause or branch you would like to support and how much you’d like to

give each month. Your card will be charged around the first of the

month, and you’ll receive regular updates on how your gift is making a

difference.

Thank you for your continued support.

YOUR SUPPORT GETS KIDS MOVING AT RECESS

Three years ago parents and

teachers at Apollo Elementary

rallied together to get their kids

moving during their short,

20-minute recesses,

leaving less time to

wander around or get

into conflicts.

“I know the concept of

teaching kids how to

play may sound a little

crazy,” says Kimberly

Nocco, Apollo Elementary Co-

President. “But when you really

think about it, it’s kind of like a

lost language.”

A fitness committee in the PTA

brought in the Y to help.

Together, they developed the

PlayEVERYDAY program.

PlayEVERYDAY, supported by

donors like you, brings in YMCA

Play Coach James—a high-energy,

enthusiastic, and engaging “uber

camp counselor,” as Kimberly calls

him.

Set to the beat of

fun music, James

encourages the

kids to join in,

teaching the rules

of basic

playground games

like foursquare,

kickball, and jump rope, while

modeling great sportsmanship.

Since the program started three

years ago, both parents and

teachers have noticed a

difference in their kids.

“We’ve had very positive feedback

from the teachers,” Kimberly says.

“The kids look forward to it, and

work together better”

With the success of

PlayEVERYDAY at Apollo, 10

schools in the Issaquah and

Renton School Districts now have

the program at recess.

“We’ve been so pleased to work

with the YMCA on this project. I

just wish we could have it

every day!”

YMCA Play Coach James teaches kids playground fun at Apollo Elementary, thanks to your support.

“When you really think about it, [play] is kind of like a lost language.”

-Kimberly, Apollo Elementary Parent and

PTA Co-President

OUR MISSION: Building a community where all people, especially the young, are encouraged to develop their fullest potential in spirit, mind, and body.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSOfficers Tom Hull, ChairCarolyn S. Kelly, Vice ChairKatie O’Sullivan, Vice Chair John F. Vynne, Vice Chair Nathaniel “Buster” Brown,

TreasurerMolly B. Stearns, Secretary

MembersBrent Beardall Douglas T. Boyden Diane Dewbrey Matt Griffin Jason Hamilton Hon. Richard A. Jones Fred Kiga Stephen LozanoScott Luttinen Michael McQuaid Jill Naas-Blackburn Michael OrbinoDan PeyovichAlison Prince Frank Shaw Galen Smith Matt StoverKris Stred Trevor Stuart Mark N. Tabbutt

ORGANIZATION LEADERSHIP Robert B. Gilbertson, Jr.,

President/CEOJulie L. Brown, SVP, Chief

Financial OfficerBarbara Pamplin, SVP, Chief

Marketing Officer Vivian Shannon, SVP, Chief

Development Officer

IMPACT is a publication of the YMCA of Greater Seattle to update donors and friends of the Y on the impact their support makes.

If you wish to be removed from the mailing list, please contact the Financial Development office at give@seattleymca.org or 206 587 6115.

TEENS LEARN ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE , GAIN JOB SKILLS

Nearly every day for eight weeks,

high school sophomore Shamarr

Davis took a two-hour transit ride

from Puyallup to the YMCA’s 2100

building in Rainier Valley to take part

in the Puget Sound Off program.

“It was totally worth it,” Shamarr

says. “It gives you experience, job

skills, and an income, and it looks

good on your resume.”

With support from donors like you

and government grants, Puget Sound

Off provides paid internships and

basic job skills to underserved youth,

educating them about social justice

issues facing their community.

This summer, Shamarr and 13 other

young people ages

14-19 explored

the issue of digital

inequity and what it

means for themselves

and their community

through educational

field trips, guest

speakers, and informational

interviews as they create videos and

social media posts.

“I learned the voice of my community

on this issue,” Shamarr says. “A lot

of people are without internet or

computers, which makes it tough

to apply for jobs and

other things.”

Shamarr himself does

not have internet or a

computer at home and

says the technology

skills he’s learned will

help him get a part-time job when he starts college in

a few years. He plans to attend UC

Berkley to study medical science.

With your support:

Thanks to you, Shamarr learned about digital inequity while gaining relevant job skills to support himself and his family.

“I learned the voice of my community on this issue.”

-Shamarr, Puget Sound Off Participant

175 TEENSparticipate in the Puget Sound Off program every year, gaining valuable job skills and diving into social issues that face their community through paid internships.

40%of participants

don’t have internet or computer access

at home.

98%of participants mastered basic computer skills

A LIFETIME OF SUPPORT: BRUCE & SHERYL CHANNER

Bruce Channer and his wife

Sheryl have been members and

advocates of the Y for more than

40 years. Starting as members

when they

moved to

Seattle in

1968, Bruce

soon found

himself

fundraising on

behalf of the

Y, and later

joined the West Seattle board.

“We weren’t in a position to give

a lot of money at that time, but

we believed in what the Y did in

the community,” Bruce says. “You

just can’t hardly imagine West

Seattle without the Y.”

Over the years, Bruce has seen

the Y grow and expand in the

West Seattle community, and

believes it’s just as integral to

kids and families as it was when

he first joined.

“There are some dramatic

changes going on in West Seattle

and the Y is

responding

to those

changes,”

Bruce says.

“When the Y

first started,

West Seattle

was a blue

collar community. Now you

have a lot of people that live in

the community, but commute

elsewhere for work, and changing

demographics. The Y offers a lot

to support those people.”

To ensure the Y can continue to

grow and expand in the future,

Bruce and Sheryl decided to join

the Heritage Club by designating

the Y in their will, something he

Heritage Club Members Bruce and Sheryl Channer have supported the Y and the West Seattle community for more than 40 years.

encourages his peers to consider.

“We don’t have a huge estate,

but that doesn’t mean you can’t

put something there for the

organizations you care about,”

Bruce says. “We want to see the

West Seattle Y continue, and

that’s one of the ways we can

make sure it does.”

“We don’t have a huge estate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put something there for the organizations you care about.”

-Bruce & Sheryl,Heritage Club Members.

HERITAGE CLUB: YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR OWN LEGACYAt some point in life, most of us start asking: What

will my lasting legacy be? How will others remember

my life’s purpose, goals, and achievements?

We all hope we will be remembered for our love,

generosity, and our very best qualities. Your legacy

will be the memories others have of you; the ways

in which they follow your example.

Your legacy can also be felt by people you will never meet.

When you make a legacy gift to the Y, your love,

generosity, and values will extend into the future.

You can choose the purpose and focus of your

legacy gift from youth development to healthy

living, from one local Y branch or program to our

regional association.

We would be honored to be part of your legacy. Please let us know how we can help provide you and your financial/estate planning advisor with more information by contacting us today:

YMCA of Greater Seattle,

Financial Development Department

206 587 6115 | give@seattleymca.org

ALICIA NOW UNDERSTANDS THE WORLD AROUND HER—THANKS TO YOU!English Language Learners Camp keeps kids learning and improving their English skills in the summer

When 6-year-old Alicia moved to

Washington from China earlier

this year, she didn’t speak any

English.

She was enrolled in the English

Language Learners program at

school, but with only 10 minutes

of English instruction at the

beginning of class,

she struggled to

improve her English

and understand

her teachers and

classmates.

This summer,

Alicia’s mother Yan Shen enrolled

her daughter in the Y’s ELL Camp

at Maywood Hills Elementary

in Bothell. By the end of the

three-week session, Alicia began

to understand her teacher and

classmates, and was even able to

tell her mom what she did during

the day—in English.

“Earlier in the school year,

you could tell she was kind of

guessing,” her mom Yan Shen

says. “Now she understands

what’s going on and what her

teachers are saying.”

The camp serves

100 kids in each

session, who

collectively speak

five different

languages.

Throughout the day, children

learn about science, engineering,

and reading in a fun, engaging

environment, practicing English

with other non-native speakers

and teachers who specialize in

teaching English.

With your support, nearly every

child receives financial assistance,

so that no family is turned away.

Yan is grateful for the program,

and says it has helped her

daughter come out of her shell.

“Thank you for providing this

program,” Yan says. “It really is

great.”

With support from donors like you, Alicia’s English is improving, and she’s able to do better in school.

YOU’RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE: $62,000 FOR HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMSThis Fall’s 2nd Annual YMCAs on the Eastside Strengthening Communities Breakfast was a huge success,

thanks to you. Nearly 200 community leaders came together to discuss the health issues facing our

community and raised more than $62,000 for programs that focus on disease prevention, intervention,

and collaborative partnerships. With these funds we’ll be able to work with more schools and businesses

to create heathier communities. Thank you for your support!

“Now she understands what’s going on and what her teachers are saying.”

-Alicia’s Mom