The Albert Lea YMCA is part of a worldwide fellowship united for the purpose of building a Christian society and developing in people those qualities of Christian personality exemplified in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

The YMCA seeks to develop in people the core values of honesty, responsibility, respect and caring. Every program purposely and/or unintentionally teaches concepts like leadership, teamwork, sportsmanship, fair competition, practice and learning how to be a good winner and a good loser. This is what the Y really does … helps people grow and develop. The YMCA builds strong kids, strong families and strong communities. The YMCA strives to give a sense of safety and belonging, and to encourage family bonding and social support from adults. We sponsor a variety of programs for all age groups and all interests, including: Youth in Government, dances and teen nights, health fairs and referrals, You & Me Baby fitness classes, Rusty Hinges swim lessons, special Olympics, youth Christian nights, weight management classes, family nights, single parent partial scholarships, second grade free memberships, and many other activities and organizations.

In 2002, the Albert Lea Family Y had approximately 300-400 visitors every day. Over 3,200 Freeborn County residents had memberships and more than 650 were on scholarships or a sliding fee scale. Dennis Dieser, director of the YMCA, understands the need for families and children to participate in the programs at the Y, &uot;it really helps children and families with stress relief&uot; he said. They are able to come to a place where there are plenty of things to do; things they can do together. When children are involved at the YMCA, they are more likely to stay out of trouble because they are not at home alone. The Y offers day-care and day-camps to assist families as well. Though times are tough, the YMCA has been able to stick to their policy that if anyone is laid off, it will sponsor them at a minimal fee while they look for new work or get rehired. Their policy statement is &uot;no one is ever denied membership to the Albert Lea Family Y because of inability to pay.&uot;

The United Way provides about ten percent of the Y’s fiscal budget. Without these funds, they would have to cut the second-grade free memberships. This would be a great loss since, as Dieser states, &uot;that’s a good age to get children to the Y.&uot; If the child is encouraged to exercise and participate in sports at an early age, they are more likely to continue to lead healthy lifestyles.

If the United Way is unable to reach their goal this year, the financial assistance that the YMCA gives to families and youth would be strained and they would have to consider limiting their assistance to families or individuals of low-income. Many low-income families and individuals count on the Y and would not know where to find similar programs that they can afford.

The partnership between the YMCA and the United Way is integral. The United Way serves as a &uot;spokesperson&uot; for the Y and the programs it offers. And the YMCA helps the United Way promote all of the agencies that are benefited from the work and donations of the U.W. &uot;If the dollars aren’t there, it affects all the agencies,&uot; Dieser said. The YMCA is not just a &uot;membership&uot; organization; it is a caring program that encourages the community to have healthy, productive lifestyles.

It is important for a community to offer the same services to all of its citizens. When health insurance and mortgage payments are unsubsidized, many people appreciate the assistance that they Y, the United Way and all of the other participating agencies give them. But it is only through the community’s efforts and contributions&045;through donations and volunteering&045;that these programs are able to exist. You can do something about the need that exists in Freeborn county.

Please contact the United Way if you are interested in making a donation, 373-8670 or write to: The United Way, 341 S. Broadway Ave., Albert Lea, MN 56007.