MAKING A DIFFERENCE

"We grew up at the Clark. It was the best thing. I don't know what we'd be or where we'd be if we didn't have the Clark."

"The Clark was a place for us to go when we couldn't go anywhere else. Our family simply couldn't afford anything else."

"There were so many people at the Clark that had an impact on my life. We didn't realize it then, but they helped to develop our sense of character and had a strong influence on the type of person we'd become."

Clark alumni include school superintendants, successful business owners, financial analysts, lawyers, physicians, educators and community leaders. There is no questioning the positive impact the Clark has made on many people during the past 53 years. It is a major reason why people choose to work here, why volunteers dedicate so much time and effort, and why others commit part of their charitable contributions to the Clark each year.

The Clark's mission is "to build a sense of community by developing character and positive values through activities that promote social, physical and emotional well being for all." The "for all" part includes the area children and their families who simply do not have the means to pay the membership and/or program fees. The Clark's motto is "nobody is turned away for the inability to pay."

The Clark is committed to this mission statement and motto, but we need your help. Each year we receive scholarship applications which exceed the amount that we've been able to raise. For instance, we raised just under $37,000 last year, but distributed over $42,000 in membership and program subsidies. In other words, the demand for this type of support is substantial. This year, we aim to raise $45,000 in order to meet the needs of the community.

We're asking that everyone who has had a positive experience at the Clark to consider a donation to this year's campaign so that others — perhaps those who need the Clark the most — will benefit from similar life-impacting experiences.

Please consider the Wendell P. Clark Memorial YMCA as one of your top three charities of choice, so that we can make a difference in the life of another. Together, we really can make a difference.