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March 27, 2008
Dear Friend of the YMCA,
The opportunity to help rebuild New Orleans as a healthier community is one we take seriously and one for which our YMCA has been preparing for 156 years. Since 1852, the YMCA triangle has represented our mission to develop a healthy mind, body and spirit in anyone who needs our help.
What started as an evangelical Christian organization (the YMCA triangle also symbolized the Trinity) has evolved into a secular, inclusive association that celebrates and fosters a healthy spirit. In all we do, that represents a spirit of service to others and a commitment to the basic values of caring, respect, responsibility and honesty that are at the heart of our Christian heritage.
Nowhere is that healthy spirit more apparent than among the hundreds of volunteers who give their time, talent and resources to further the YMCA’s mission. Youth sports coaches, literacy tutors, advisory boards and committees, special event workers, fundraisers – the thousands of hours these volunteers dedicate to the YMCA are essential to us and the best example of that spirit of service that was the genesis of our founding.
A healthy mind is one that fully realizes its potential and leads to self fulfillment and a happy life. Sadly, far too many of our neighbors have reading and writing skills that are so deficient that they cannot get a job, help with the children’s school or participate in civic life as a fully participating citizen. YMCA Educational Services has been teaching those adults to read and write for 28 years now and will be taking on the additional challenge of helping them improve their job skills to make a healthier New Orleans economy.
Of course, it seems we have been about healthy bodies forever, but our expertise in fitness, sports and recreation is more important today than it has ever been. The chronic disease epidemic that has been garnering so much press lately is very real and especially frightening when you hear that today’s generation of children is the first in our country’s history whose life expectancy may be less than that of their parent’s generation. Our YMCA is already helping thousands of families get and stay healthy and we have even more planned for next year.
A better and a healthier New Orleans is coming. And our YMCA is The Healthy Family Place for everyone. We hope you can join us.
Darrell E. Johnson Scott Hardie
President & CEO YMCA Board of Directors Chairman
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