(WSB photos/video)

By Tracy Record and Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA is about connections – connecting with your community and neighbors as well as connecting with yourself via fitness, health, and fun.

That message was at the heart of Wednesday night’s community dinner to launch this year’s fund drive for the Y (a longtime WSB sponsor). Attendees enjoyed a free buffet catered by West Seattle’s own Peninsula Soul Food – one of the Y’s neighbors at Distinguished Foods in The Triangle, another connection.

Branch executive Cleveland King II offered heartfelt thoughts at the night’s conclusion, stressting that “The most important thing when you come into the YMCA is how the people interact.”

More people – especially youth – can be served thanks to donors’ generosity, mused longtime board member Calvin Saunders: “Let’s get our kids help.”

Board chair Linnea Westerlind, emceeing the event, spoke of another way the West Seattle/Fauntleroy Y is increasing connections with youth – a plan to expand its leadership to add two teenagers each year, a group too often “overlooked and underappreciated” in what they can offer:

The Y connects with thousands of kids and teens each year through Camp Colman and Camp Orkila. Jason Lane, senior executive director for camping and outdoor leadership, talked about how camp experiences promote community awareness, self-confidence and a wonder for the natural world, and lead to more than a million volunteer hours. He then introduced Camp Colman’s executive director Danielia Barron, who also speaks in this clip:

Even more frequent than camp trips, young Y members get to connect via sports programs. The Y is working on expanding access and adding a new competitive basketball league, as program director Liz Abbott and health/wellness director Madisson Cordova discussed:

Third through eighth graders are invited to tryouts next weekend (as previously mentioned here). And when they’re not on the court, perhaps they’re in the pool; the West Seattle Y is renowned for its aquatics programs, led by Jenna Gill, who said her mission is to promote universal safety and awareness around water, which involves much more than learning to swim:

The Y connects people across the age spectrum – elders as well as youth – and Cordova returned to the microphone to talk about plans for growing the Active Older Adults resources, with a cancer-survivorship program in the works as well as line dancing, and hopes for an AOA coordinator, if the support comes in:

Whatever the program, each participant has a story, often brimming with inspiration. Board member Chris O’Claire told the story of how a physically challenged teenager named Luca connected with support and increased confidence and independence via a scholarship membership at the Y:

The more the Y can raise during this year’s fund drive, the more they can offer access to people like Luca and others of all ages and abilities. So it’s up to community supporters to pick up the ball and run with it. If you can give, here’s where to start.