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Here We GROW Again

YMCA Expansion Begins
News Notes from Dave Rogers...

It’s official. Construction has begun. Earth moving equipment has started the dirt work for both the parking lot and the new gymnastics center. This has turned our south lawn into a mud lot, but we’re happy to be underway with the work. Wet weather kept us from getting started earlier this month. We have decided to put curbing around the entirety of the new parking lot; the dirt will be re-sculpted to flatten out the valley that currently runs down the middle of the lawn thus spreading out and slowing down the flow of water.

David Copeland arranged for Edwin Korff & Associates of Prairie Village, Kansas to visit the facility here, review our plans, draw up a site plan & building elevations and put their architectural stamp on the work. They did all of this at no charge to the YMCA. Needless to say, we’re very grateful.

C-T Photo/Catherine Stortz Ripley

C-T Tuesday, April 29, 2008...
Dirt work has started on the south side of the Grand River Area Family YMCA where a new parking lot and gymnastics area will be added. This work is part of a $1 million expansion project for the facility which includes additional space for new cardiovascular machines, a virtual golf course, a dedicated youth exercise area, and a meeting room, and a new, larger gymnastics center. The additional parking area will be directly south of the main part of the building (shown at the center of this picture) and the gymnastics area will be built onto the SE corner of the existing facility, utilizing two existing walls (near where the dump truck is shown). See more on the detailed plans below...

YMCA Tops Campaign Goal
Breaks Ground for Expansion
Monday, March 31, 2008, C-T

CAPTION: Several Grand River Area Family YMCA board of directors, other capital improvement supporters and business and community leaders gathered this (Monday) morning on the south side of the facility for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the official start of construction work on the YMCA's addition. YMCA officials say over $1.1 million was raised for the project and work is scheduled to start this week or next, depending on the weather.

C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

With shovels in hand, several Grand River Area Family YMCA board of directors and other capital improvement supporters gathered on the south side of the building for a groundbreaking ceremony, marking the beginning of construction on the YMCA's $1 million expansion and renovation plan. According to Dave Rogers, YMCA executive director, the capital campaign has surpassed its goal of $1 million and, in fact, has raised just over $1.1 million.

“Each of the fundraising phases have gone over their goals,” Rogers said. Specifically, over $740,000 was raised in the Pace Setter category; over $200,000 was raised in the Major Gift category; and over $60,000 was raised in the Community Gift category. Most of those funds, Rogers says, are pledged over a three-year period, through 2010, however all construction on the project will be completed in 2008.

“We'll have to borrow some (funds) against our pledges in 2008,” Rogers said. He added that any funds left over following construction will be placed in the YMCA's endowment fund to help offset costs associated with the expansion such as utilities and staff. Rogers credited a “good plan and good people” with the capital improvement project's success. "It's just phenomenal how well this (plan) has been received in this community," Rogers said. He added that support from Chillicothe's bigger businesses and banks as well as receiving $280,000 in tax credits from the Neighborhood Assistance Program gave big boosts to the campaign. Rogers said that dirt work had been scheduled to start today (Monday), but may be delayed until next week.

YMCA Plans Expansion
Wednesday, January 16, 2008, C-T

Photo / Butch Shaffer 2008

CAPTION: Officials at Grand River Area Family YMCA at 1725 Locust Street have announced plans for expansion and renovation of its current facility and a $1 million capital campaign is underway to fund the plan. The project, which will begin in early April, will take the current two-story gymnastics center and change it into two, one-story spaces. A new meeting room and a youth exercise area is planned for the downstairs portion. In the upstairs, a virtual golf course, extensive cardiovascular machines and a bathroom will be added. The project also includes the construction of a new gymnastics center.

The Grand River Area Family YMCA has announced plans for an expansion and renovation of its current facility at 1725 Locust Street. The YMCA will be conducting a $1 million capital campaign in the next few months to fund these plans. According to Dave Rogers, executive director, this project would take the current two-story gymnastics center and change it into two, one-story spaces. The upstairs portion would house extensive additional space for new cardiovascular machines, bathrooms and a virtual golf course.

The first floor of the renovated space would house a dedicated youth exercise area and a meeting room. A new, larger 70-by-80-foot gymnastics center would be built onto the southeast corner of the existing facility (utilizing two existing walls will save on construction costs). The new gymnastics center would be able to accommodate all of the apparatuses including the competition spring floor. The parking lot would also be expanded by another 24 spaces on the west end of the YMCA's south lawn.

In addition to money raised for expansion and new equipment, the campaign will provide $200,000 to the YMCA endowment fund. Earnings from the endowment will cover the additional utility and personnel costs of more space. “The exciting thing about the whole project is the new equipment we will have for the kids in the youth exercise area - it's going to be really special,” Rogers said, adding that the equipment upstairs for the adults will be well-received also.

Dedicating areas just for kids to exercise is a trend starting to catch on all around the country, Rogers said. He explained that the Grand River Area Family YMCA's version will include a sports wall with lights all over it. Rogers said that children will be able to aim various sports balls (like soft balls or soccer balls) at the lights in an effort to hit the lights, which are said to be indestructible. The children's scores will be shown on a scoreboard also installed on the wall. “There will also be a couple of bikes that kids can ride and have steering wheels and a big screen on the wall where they can race other kids on these bikes,” he said. Another game, Rogers said, will involve children wearing a safety belt and by moving, the children will be able to control a figurine of themselves on television.

“The idea is that this is fun stuff to do and interactive - kids can relate to it immediately,” Rogers said. He explained that exercising on a treadmill and lifting weights isn't what children ages 10 to 14 years old consider to be “fun.” "Kids just don't stick with it, but they will stick with these games," Rogers said.

The new gymnastics center being planned will be large enough to handle the competition floor, which up until now, has had to be placed in the Browning Gymnasium. "This (the new gymnastics center) will then free up half of the Browning Gymnasium which has been taken up with the competition floor half of the year when the floor is down," Rogers explained. He went on to say that the virtual golf course upstairs was included in the project to offer YMCA patrons "something new and completely different." Rogers said that it would be available to adults, but may also be used to teach children how to golf.

Proposed Addition:

• More space upstairs
• New adult exercise equipment
• Bathrooms on second floor
• More parking (25 additional spaces on the west third of the south lawn)
• Dedicated youth exercise room
• New youth fitness equipment
• Expanded gymnastics center
• Additional meeting room
• Virtual golf course

The cost of building the center in the southeast corner of the YMCA may be somewhat reduced, Rogers said, because two existing walls will be used. Fund-raising, Rogers says, has already started. While he declined to say just how much money has been raised for the project, he did say that commitments from local foundations and others are "right on track." "We've been quietly asking our friends and bigger donors for monies and they have responded generously," Rogers said. Most donations, he said, will be pledged over a three year period. If all goes well, Rogers says, construction will likely start in April with the building of the new gymnastics center. Then the old gymnastics center will be renovated. Rogers says he hopes the project will be completely finished by this fall.

The Grand River Area Family YMCA was chartered by the YMCA of the USA on Sept. 6, 1989. At that time it operated out of an office on Washington street across from the Strand Hotel building. In the fall of 1990, the YMCA embarked on a capital campaign to build the current facility located on the north end of Locust Street. By the summer of 1991, $3.1 million had been pledged to the campaign and construction was able to start late that fall. On Nov. 1, 1992 the doors opened to the new YMCA.

The Grand River YMCA opened a branch in Brookfield serving Linn County in 1997. In 1998, the YMCA launched a successful capital campaign to expand the original building to include another gymnasium, gymnastics center, babysitting area, weight room and activity center. In 2001, the YMCA went on a third capital campaign, this time in Linn County to raise money to build the current YMCA facility located on west Helm street.

Dr. David Neal has volunteered to be chairman of the committee charged with raising $1 million. Others serving on that committee are Bill Young, Ed Douglas, Robert Cowherd, Julie McCoy, Inger Young, Mike Turner and Rollie Stadlman.

In addition to running many youth sports programs, the YMCA provides over $50,000 annually in scholarship assistance to area children and adults to defray membership and/or program costs. The YMCA also runs a youth mentoring program called Y-PALS. And it coordinates the Backpack Buddies program which provides food for children during the school year who might be going hungry over the weekends.

Great News:

HMC Donates $60,000 to YMCA's $1 Million Improvements Campaign
Published: Monday, March 3, 2008, C-T

The Grand River Area Family YMCA's $1 million capital improvements campaign has received a big boost from Hedrick Medical Center which has committed $60,000 toward the campaign which will be paid over a period of five years.

According to Dave Rogers, YMCA's executive director, HMC's donation puts the campaign closer to its goal. “We're closing in on $900,000. Once we get there, we'll contact the Mabee Foundation and inform them that we've met their challenge and then we'll be at the $1 million mark,” Rogers said. The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, Inc., issued a challenge grant in the amount of $100,000 to the YMCA in February. Under the terms of this grant, the Mabee Foundation will give the last $100,000 of the YMCA's $1 million campaign, if and so long as the YMCA can raise the rest of the money before July, 2008.)

According to Brian Johnston, HMC CEO, the pledge shows the hospital's commitment to community members of all ages. “I see this contribution as part of our commitment to help the community while helping to provide the gymnastics program with an appropriate home,” Johnston said. He added that the donation will also go toward expanding the ability for adolescent and adults to have age-appropriate exercise equipment.

YMCA Gets $280,000 in DREAM Tax Credits
Published: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 C-T

Gov. Matt Blunt announced Tuesday afternoon that the Grand River Area Family YMCA has been approved for $280,000 in tax credits from the Neighborhood Assistance Program to help renovate and expand its existing facility. Chillicothe is one of Gov. Blunt's Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri (DREAM) communities. “Our DREAM initiative has delivered a remarkable influx of public and private investments to help communities like Chillicothe attract and retain jobs and improve its overall quality of life,” Gov. Blunt said. This assistance for the YMCA will help strengthen the community by supporting growth in programs that help both children and adults, the governor said. “I am pleased we were able to help move this initiative forward for Chillicothe.”

Missouri's 10 inaugural DREAM communities have received more than $200 million in total investment for housing, construction, renovation projects and infrastructure improvements. The public investment to date is $32 million. This public investment has created an unprecedented $174 million in private investment in DREAM communities. Private investment is a key for Missouri's DREAM communities to make real economic changes as envisioned by the governor.

The Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit program, administered by the Missouri Department of Economic Development, provides assistance to community-based organizations that enable them to implement community or neighborhood projects in the areas of community service, education, crime prevention, job training and physical revitalization.

Related News 02 04 08:

The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, Inc., a Delaware non-profit corporation, with its office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has issued a challenge grant in the amount of $100,000 to the Grand River Area Family YMCA. Under the terms of this grant, the Mabee Foundation will give the last $100,000 of the YMCA's $1 million campaign, if and so long as the YMCA can raise the rest of the money before July, 2008.

A capital campaign kickoff was held at the YMCA on Monday night, February 4, 2008. Julie McCoy is heading up the group which consists of team leaders and team members who will be contacting area residents and businesses soliciting donations. All cards are expected back by February 22, 2008.

PROPOSED LAYOUT FIRST FLOOR	PROPOSED LAYOUT SECOND FLOOR

Brochure Layout by Big Dog Studios, Chillicothe
Printed by Community Press, Chillicothe

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