2024 Annual Support Campaign

A Story that Defines Generosity

Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Ryan whose life was filled with love and warmth from his caring parents and adorable baby brother. Ryan's ordinary day took a sudden turn as he headed home from school, with fire trucks blazing past his bus and sirens blaring. His neighborhood was the destination of these emergency responders, and with smoke filling the air, Ryan's heart sank at the thought of his neighbors' safety.

Anticipation and anxiety built as the school bus turned into Ryan's neighborhood, revealing the scene of the emergency. His neighbor’s house wasn’t on fire; it

was his family's home. Flames billowed from the caved-in roof as firefighters struggled to put out the blaze. As the bus rolled to a stop, Ryan quickly exited the bus and sprinted to his home, desperate to see any sign of his family.

That day, Ryan lost not only his home, belongings, and dog, but his mother and brother. Ryan’s life, once wonderful and warm, had become a tragic story you read about in the newspaper. For months, Ryan and his father struggled to come to grips with their new life, dealing with the void of a mother and sibling. All seemed hopeless.

One year later, Ryan was at school eating lunch with his friends when one of them was talking about a sports program at the YMCA. Intrigued, Ryan listened as his friend told the lunch table about how his running time had improved over 3 months, and how he had made new friends.

Ryan knew money was tight. His dad reminded him of this on an almost weekly basis. Asking his dad to join the YMCA and enroll in the program was going to likely end with him saying “Sorry buddy, we just don’t have enough money right now.” So instead of asking, he talked with his friend about the Y. To his surprise, his friend invited him to come try out the program at no cost.

After his first training session, he approached the coach to ask about the cost of the program. Like most people in the community, the coach knew of Ryan and the tragedy of his loss. She had been told by Ryan’s friend that he would be attending training that day and had an answer for Ryan when he asked about the cost. “For you,” she said “it’s free. And you’ll get a membership to the Y so you and your dad can use the facility whenever you want.”

Ryan was in tears as he told his dad of this blessing given to them. They were both overcome with gratitude at the generosity of whoever gave them his opportunity. But where did the money come from? How was Ryan and his dad given an opportunity to join the Y and participate in the sports program?

 
The story you just read is a real-life experience shared by a valued member of our YMCA community. (To respect their privacy, we have changed the member's name.) Thanks to the incredible generosity of individuals like you, our Annual Support Campaign has made it possible for hundreds of families in our community to access heavily discounted or even free programs and memberships at our YMCA. This means that families, just like Ryan and his dad, can enjoy all the benefits our YMCA has to offer.

The beauty of this story is that it’s never-ending. Each week, Butler County Family YMCA receives financial scholarship applications, requesting assistance to join the Y at discounted costs. YOU can be involved in this story and make an impact that goes further than you’ll ever imagine. Your generosity will allow us to fulfill our mission of enrichment and empowerment, ensuring that no one is left behind.

GIVE NOW

Here is how your generosity can a difference:

- $40 gives a child art lessons for six weeks!

- $60 provides a child with seven swim lessons!

- $200 gives a child an entire week of summer camp!

- $875 supplies an ENTIRE family with a year of membership!