YMCA announces two large donations

Cadillac — Cadillac is “one step closer” to having a new YMCA building.

Mary Dillon, capital campaign chairperson, announced at the Rise Up! Cadillac breakfast meeting Wednesday morning that 70 percent of the funds needed have been provided by two large donations.

The estate of Tom Dillon bequeathed $2.5 million to the YMCA project in 2005. And Baker College donated 6.3 acres on its Cadillac campus along with a gift of $1.25 million.

“With Tom’s gift,” Dillon explained, referring to her late husband’s bequest, “and with Baker College’s acreage and $1.25 million, we are getting very close. We have begun our campaign.”

Initial renderings of the proposed building’s floor plan reveal a 6-lane swimming pool, a full-size gymnasium, fitness center, aerobics/multi-purpose rooms, community meeting room, teen center, locker rooms, family locker rooms, whirlpool and administrative areas.

Dillon, who has served on the YMCA board since 2000, said that this project is something that “Tom wanted to do for this community.”

“It’s going to take dollars for this to happen,” she continued.“We’re not just looking at a building but at how we can serve the people in the community with this building.”

Director Chris Gentry stressed that 36,500 people have participated in the Y programming since 2002.

Currently there are 70 annual programs that emphasize aquatics, youth sports and summer camping, plus other areas of interest.

“We are widening this so that all communities in our ISD can feel a part of this,” Dillon added, noting that programs have participants from a three-county area.

“We’ve taken very careful steps to make sure everything was do-able,” Dillon said. “We have been slow and steady in our progress, working closely with CAPS and Baker.”

Gentry added that over a six year period three surveys have been taken to look at community needs and membership projections.

“What we are doing is very solid and we are moving in a direction that will be sustained over time,” Dillon said.

“I don’t think Tom would have invested in something if he didn’t think this community could sustain it. He didn’t do things without a lot of thought.”

“We want 100 percent of the pledges in,” Dillon said.“That would be Tom’s request too, to have no debt going into this. We look toward the spring of 2008 for our ground breaking.”

mardijo@chartermi.net 775-NEWS (6397)

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A market study conducted in August 2005 determined:

The New Y facility could expect:

- 570 family members

- 350 adult members

- This would be 9 percent of the population

Respondents were willing to pay:

- $49 per month per family

- $35 per month per adult

These projects were verified by the YMCA of the USA, which shows that “Small Community YMCAs” have a 9.5 percent penetration.