As membership continues to increase, the Schuylkill YMCA has decided to boost its fundraising goals as well.
The goal of the 2012 Y Thrive Annual Campaign is $30,000, Rosemarie Seamon, Schuylkill YMCA community engagement director, said Monday.
"Last year, our goal for this campaign was $15,000, and we were able to raise that," Seamon said.
This is one of three big fundraisers the Schuylkill YMCA holds annually. The 10th annual Spirit of the Y Dinner & Auction is scheduled for March 6 at the Pottsville Club. Meanwhile, the YMCA is in the process of scheduling its annual summer golf tournament, according to Wayne R. Stump, Schuylkill Y chief executive officer.
The YMCA started promoting its Y Thrive campaign on Feb. 2, with a new invitation-only event, "The Y Thrive Happy Hour," held at its 520 N. Centre St. headquarters.
"We just invited some people into the Y, giving them the opportunity to get to know us. I'd say 90 percent of those who attended have not participated in a Y event before," Stump said. "It was a mixer, so the event was free. We had about 100 people come out. And nine different area restaurants donated food."
On March 1, the YMCA will send out 500 letters to previous contributors to request financial support for 2012 Y Thrive Annual Campaign, Seamon said.
People can also make donations by calling the Y directly at 570-622-7850 or visiting www.schuylkillymca.com, she said.
The chairpersons of this year's Y Thrive campaign are Richard Ryon Jr., a partner at Richard B. Ryon Insurance, Pottsville, and his wife, Lindsay.
"Our mission is to make the Y a strong foundation for youth and for families that will help the City of Pottsville and Schuylkill County grow," Ryon said Monday.
"We also have a campaign committee that is new," Seamon said.
It includes attorney Eric Prock and his wife, Meghan; attorney Shelby Hostetter and husband, Eli; Tom Badger, Schuylkill YMCA board president and Matt Tacelosky, Schuylkill YMCA board vice president.
The campaign is scheduled to wrap up in May.
Established in 1997, the Schuylkill YMCA had its grand opening at the former Army National Guard armory at 520 N. Centre St. in May 2009.
A full-service YMCA, it is open daily, has a full-time staff and activities for all ages. This includes a wellness center in the lower level with treadmills and elliptical machines, free weights and weight machines.
It currently has just more than 1,100 memberships and approximately 1,900 members, Seamon said.
A year ago, it had 1,000 memberships and approximately 1,700 members.
"Our retention rate for membership is at 61 percent," Wayne said. "On the national level, 65 to be the average. We're not too far from that."
Its 2012 budget is an estimated $608,595. Revenue sources include: membership, 43 percent; program income, 21 percent; Schuylkill United Way contribution, 15 percent; miscellaneous revenue, 11 percent; child care income, 5 percent and fundraisers, including an annual summer golf tournament, 5 percent, Seamon said.