YMCA volunteers, staff storytellers (campaigners) and their guests will meet Thursday at 5:45 p.m. at the Hamilton Family YMCA for a dinner from Jason's Deli.
After dinner, the storytellers will be treated to examples of lives changed through the three Y focus areas; Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility.
McCallie School Basketball Coach John Shulman will emcee the annual event, which sets in motion the 2016 YMCA Community Support Campaign.
“We are very pleased that Chad Wamack accepted the challenge by being our campaign chairperson this year,” said Janet Dunn, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga. “As a long-time Y volunteer, Chad has a firm understanding of the YMCA mission and clear vision of our future and what this fundraising effort can accomplish for our community.”
“The programs and services funded by the Community Support Campaign benefit individuals, children and families in so many ways,” said Tripp McCallie, director of Development for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga. He noted that the money raised benefits the Mobile Y program, Y-CAP, a mentoring program for at-risk youth, out-of-school time academic enrichment programs, chronic disease prevention programs like LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, Diabetes Prevention and Peddling for Parkinson’s, SPLASH, Camp Ocoee, Youth Leadership Chattanooga as well as Y
memberships.
“No one is turned away from a YMCA program or YMCA membership because of an inability to pay, said Mrs. Dunn. “In 2015, individuals, children and families received nearly $1.3 million dollars in direct scholarships and program subsidies.”
The goal of the Community Support Campaign this year is $639,000.