Focus On Ministry! | The NEW Y .... |
SPECIAL NOTICE: | |
The NEW Y | |
YMCA Mission: To put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body. All YMCA programs emphasize fire core values: Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Caring, and Faith. Through our commitment to the mission, values, and programs, the YMCA strives to meet the needs of our ever-changing community. | |
Final Tribute | |
| Nearly 76 years ago the "Grand Dame" of downtown - the YMCA of St. Petersburg, opened its doors at 116 fifth Street South. It opened to a great deal of fanfare. The YMCA is now in the final months of operation in this grand, old facility. History shows us when one door shuts usually another one opens. It is so with the YMCA of St. Petersburg. Very soon, around the first of October 2001 the "NEW Y" will open at 3200 1st Avenue South in St. Petersburg, Florida. It encompasses 4 city blocks where the old WM Henry and Beall's store were located. For those of us old-timers who remember the Wolffies Restaurant, the NEW Y this is located in that same block. Rick Montondo is the Sr. Vice President/Financial Development of the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg. He came here to St. Petersburg from Columbus, Ohio just a few years ago. He has been with YMCA for 29 years. He is excited about this new facility, which as he said will provide all the same services as the older facility downtown only on a much larger scale. The greatest single contributors to this new facility are Dr. Jim & Heather Gills. Dr Gills, as many of us know, is from the Tarpon Springs area. He is a devoted Christian who believes in sharing and caring. Their contribution to the NEW Y was $3,000,000. THE NEW Y
The NEW Y will continue with the same programs that the YMCA has always been famous for such as their many before & after-school programs, day camps and youth programs. They also have a group called Youth Achievers that enables children of the "in-between" years to join together, some from elementary school, many from middle school and some from high school. This is a mentoring program where the youth learn the joy of achieving goals and doing better in school. Currently there are 450 children in the YMCA day camp all over Pinellas County. One of the many programs that the Y sponsors is the Neighbor to Neighbor program. This is a program started a few years ago by Mayor Baker and one of the Y staff members. It is for the purpose of giving people a Christmas who would not otherwise have one. They give trees and ornaments, food, toys, a New Testament, and a Christian story book. Last year they were able to sponsor 500 FAMILIES, thanks to the many who donated. They are hoping to increase that this year to 550 or 600. Sponsoring a family only costs $120. The churches in Tampa Bay have been a real supporter of this program not only in donating but also supplying the referrals of those who are to receive the gifts. Last year some of the RAYS baseball players helped deliver the trees and other items. We have only scratched the surface of what YMCA is truly all about here. Please check out their web site and browse their pages to see what is offered there: www.stpeteymca.org . Hope to see you there at the HARD-HAT tours on Saturday July 21st. It's an exciting time in Tampa Bay when a Christian organization takes up 4 city blocks and serves the community in such a positive way.
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Believer's Bay
Sharing the Love of God with Common Sense