YMCA Celebrates New Strides

CFNEIA

July 9, 2018

The YMCA of Black Hawk County is celebrating 150 years of service to the Cedar Valley in 2018 and the historic organization is poised to boldly step into doing more for its community. In 2017, the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa made a $25,000 grant to make major renovations to one of the cornerstones of this plan, its indoor pool.

“The pool is the heart of our facility. I’ve talked to a mother whose autistic son has made incredible strides in social development because of his involvement on our swim team and to a woman with Parkinson’s disease who says she cannot move if she isn’t in the pool daily. It plays such a pivotal role for all ages,” said Angie Widner, CEO of the Family YMCA of Black Hawk County.

The pool is home to critical activities creating a better quality of life. It is a pillar of the YMCA’s goal of strengthening community by helping individuals become healthier, creating experiences for kids during their developmental years that grow character and responsibility, and as a gathering place where people can feel a sense of community.

“For over a century and a half, people have come together to serve the residents of our community this way. I feel strongly today that it is our responsibility to put this organization in a prime position to serve the community for the next 150 years – that it will be an enduring place for community members and kids to look back and say it was important to who I am and my development,” said Angie.