A crowd of more than 120 gathered to celebrate Schuylkill YMCA's 10th annual Spirit of the Y Dinner & Auction on Tuesday night.
"No other organization in the county serves a more diverse population than the Schuylkill Y. We have about 2,000 members. And 46 percent of those are female. And 66 percent are under age 18," said Wayne R. Stump, Schuylkill Y chief executive officer, addressing the crowd at the Pottsville Club.
The event was the kick-off for the Schuykill YMCA's 2012 Y Thrive Annual Campaign. The nonprofit organization is aiming to raise $30,000 by May.
"To date, we have $5,000 in pledges. And we only officially kicked off the campaign tonight. That's not bad at all," Stump said.
The campaign chairpersons are Richard Ryon Jr., a partner at Richard B. Ryon Insurance, Pottsville, and his wife, Lindsay.
The money raised through the Spirit of the Y Dinner doesn't go to the campaign. Traditionally, it goes to support the financial aid program the Schuylkill YMCA offers to low-income families and children, Stump said.
"We give out more than $70,000 a year for children to go to camp, for families to join the Y and so forth," Stump said.
Funds were raised through ticket sales to the dinner. Individual tickets were $80, while a corporate table of eight was $1,000. Plus there was a silent auction of more than 50 items, which included a framed copy of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" album signed by Springsteen, and a pair of boxing gloves autographed by actor Sylvester Stallone.
"After all the expenses are taken care of, I'm confident we'll net $17,000. Last year we had a crowd of 120 and netted $15,000. This year, we're expecting 131," Stump said.
The Schuylkill YMCA Board of Directors on Tuesday presented its annual Volunteer of the Year Award to Chris and Tracey Fenstermacher, Pottsville. Tracey is president of Ed's USA Auto Rentals, Pottsville.
"When they became members of the Y, they became part of the cause. They sponsored our annual golf tournament in 2011. And, to date, they're the largest single contributor to the Schuykill YMCA's 2012 Y Thrive Annual Campaign. They're a true example of good-spirited members," Stump said.
Last week, the YMCA sent out 500 letters to previous contributors to request financial support for 2012 Y Thrive Annual Campaign.
People can also make donations by calling the Y directly at 570-622-7850 or visiting www.schuylkillymca.com.
The YMCA is in the process of scheduling its annual summer golf tournament, which is one of the organization's major fundraisers, Stump said.
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.
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, according to Rosemarie Seamon, Schuylkill YMCA community engagement director.
