Y’s Men and Women’s Clubs Y Service Clubs Y’s Men’s Clubs Y’s Men and Women’s Clubs Encouraging and providing leadership to build a better world for all mankind based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and as partners with the YMCA.

Main purpose: To serve the local YMCA Y Service Clubs are a human and financial resource to the YMCA. Y’s Men/Women provide hundreds of thousands of hours of voluntary service annually. An estimated $4 million is given annually by Y Service Clubs.

Service and Assistance to the Community The efforts of the service club are different at every Y, just as every Y is different in every community as it responds to the needs of that community.

Our Focus Targeting the needs of the local community

How Y Service Clubs Assist Local Y’s: Y’s Men/Women are a source of Y Board and committee members. They cooperate with the Y in maintenance and support of Y camps. They spearhead leadership for World Service activities, and the international emphasis of the Y (hosting international visitors and exchange students). Y’s Men/Women recruit and train volunteer leaders. Y’s Men/Women organize and lead youth clubs. They participate in campaigns for new members.

Westfield Y’s Men’s Club Building a better community FOCUS: THE COMMUNITY Westfield Y’s Men’s Club Westfield, New Jersey Building a better community by raising approximately $30,000 annually from Christmas tree sales. The number of trees sold by the Y’s Men would fill Giants Stadium!

Westfield Y’s Men continued The money is committed to a YMCA Capital Projects Fund, and to community youth clubs and organizations. Many other clubs in the US Area sell Christmas trees as their fundraiser. Burbank Y’s Men

Kankakee Area Y’s Men’s Club Supporting families FOCUS: FAMILIES Kankakee Area Y’s Men’s Club Kankakee, Illinois Supporting families for more than thirty years by distributing free coats to children unable to afford appropriate attire for the cold winters.

Kankakee Area Y’s Men continued The Coats for Kids campaign blossomed into a significant collaboration with large area vendors, and set an example for other community organizations to conduct similar clothing campaigns.

A note from: Joe Giacchino, CEO Kankakee Area Y’s Men continued A note from: Joe Giacchino, CEO Kankakee Area YMCA “The Kankakee Area YMCA Y’s Men’s Club is committed to the Y and the community. Not only are they active in the annual Strong Kids campaign and membership drives, but they also conduct a quarterly project to help spruce up the Y, assist with the annual youth Halloween party and give significantly to youth programs. They are friends of the Y and we would be hard-pressed to find more volunteers like them.”

Green Bay Y’s Men’s Club Ensuring the availability of camping programs FOCUS: CAMP Green Bay Y’s Men’s Club Green Bay, Wisconsin Ensuring the availability of camping programs for all youth by helping preserve and maintain the buildings and property of YMCA Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya and Day Camp Wabansi.

Green Bay Y’s Men continued Work weekends are spent maintaining and repairing the camp. Club members conduct fund-raisers to support the costs of the work weekends including Service Club Olympics, YMCA ski sale, poinsettia sale and Entertainment Book sales.

Seal Beach Leisure World Y’s Men’s Club Empowering seniors with FOCUS: SENIORS Seal Beach Leisure World Y’s Men’s Club Los Altos YMCA, California Empowering seniors with quality service, this Y’s Men’s Club is dedicated to helping residents of the Seal Beach retirement community who are unable to accomplish tasks of normal home activities for themselves.

Y FOCUS Club In an effort to reach out to the international community, FOCUS: INTERNATIONAL Y FOCUS Club The Y’s Men’s Club in Ottawa, Canada In an effort to reach out to the international community, Y FOCUS Fair Trade Sports has been able to send over 500 used soccer balls, 690 soccer shirts and 150 pairs of socks to refugee camps, schools, orphanages and YMCA’s in 12 different developing countries.

Y FOCUS Club continued Because of these donations, soccer matches are now a part of the regular curriculum in some schools in Tanzania, providing a significant boost in morale for these HIV/AIDS orphans.

A note from: Bonnie Gray, President Y FOCUS Club continued A note from: Bonnie Gray, President Canadian Support of Rural African Initiatives “Our partner NGO, MKUKI, in Tanzania was the recipient of the donated soccer balls and I wanted to convey the great impact they are having with the children. The boys and their instructors are having regular soccer matches now and it is part of the regular curriculum. What a tremendous boost to morale it is! And it was particularly heart-warming for me to see these students clearly having so much FUN given most of them are HIV/AIDS orphans. You can certainly see by their faces how much they are enjoying themselves! They are extremely grateful for this equipment.”

Service Club Making a community contribution through a FOCUS: THE COMMUNITY Carondelet Y Service Club St. Louis, Missouri Making a community contribution through a Book Fair fundraiser— now an annual city-wide event—that has raised more than $800,000 in 27 years. Thousands of books are sold each year.

Carondelet Y Service Club Making a community contribution through St. Louis, Missouri Making a community contribution through a Book Fair fundraiser— now an annual city-wide event—that has raised more than $1,000,000 in 30 years. Thousands of books are sold each year. 19

Carondelet Y Service Club continued The funds raised support the YMCA, community service projects, literacy projects, and programs of Y’s Men International.

How Y Service Clubs Assist Local Y’s: Y’s Men/Women are a source of Y Board and committee members. They cooperate with the Y in maintenance and support of Y camps and other facilities. They spearhead leadership for World Service activities, and the international emphasis of the Y (hosting international visitors and exchange students). Y’s Men/Women recruit and train volunteer leaders. Y’s Men/Women organize and lead youth clubs. They participate in campaigns for new members and sustaining memberships. 21

Service Club continued Carondelet Y Service Club continued The funds raised support the YMCA, community service projects, literacy projects, and programs of Y’s Men International. On average, according to Rolando Dalmas, International Secretary-General, US Y Service Clubs give 90% of funds raised to their local Y. 22

Reaching Out to the World Y Service Clubs provide greater international understanding through links with clubs around the world. They have helped alleviate human crises by providing $105,000 for Tsunami relief, and have accepted a Universal Global Project: HIV/AIDS International Y Service Clubs working as a recognized NGO by the United Nations has adopted the “Roll Back Malaria” project seeking to donate 20,000 packages of mosquito netting. These kits contain: a) routine immunizations; b) Vitamin A (or multiple micronutrient) supplementation, c) insecticide-treated nets and pretreatment kits; d) Anti-malaria “blister packs” for at home fever management. These nets will be distributed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Tsunami relief in Alumnae 23

Our Character Sharing the same goals and direction worldwide

Y Service Club Motto To acknowledge the duty that accompanies every right. Our challenge: To transfer the emphasis from rights to duties.

Idealists They reflect the original concept of the YMCA— Y’S MEN/WOMEN ARE Idealists They reflect the original concept of the YMCA— people concerned about fellow human beings. Allying themselves with other active idealists —some younger, some older—to increase their own effectiveness in serving fellow men.

Loyal to the Y Y’s Men/Women receive continuing orientation in all Y’S MEN/WOMEN ARE Loyal to the Y Y’s Men/Women receive continuing orientation in all YMCA programs. They work with the Y as a union of persons acting together for a common purpose: striving to practice the teachings of Jesus Christ. They understand that next to the church, the Y is the greatest character builder in the world.

Dedicated to the Community Y’S MEN/WOMEN ARE Dedicated to the Community They desire to alleviate human crises, making the Y a great community servant. Y’s Men/Women can decide the priorities in the community—from day camp to drug problems.

Reach Out to the World Y Service Clubs provide greater international Y’S MEN/WOMEN Reach Out to the World Y Service Clubs provide greater international understanding through links with clubs around the world. Y’s Men/Women are world-minded people, with the objective to achieve the Christian ideal of international and interracial justice. “The measure of a man is the breadth of his horizon.” - Member induction ceremony

International Programs: Time of Fast Supports projects in developing countries Members fast for one meal, contribute meal cost An international committee selects and monitors projects proposed by YMCA’s worldwide. During its history, this project has distributed $4 million. Annual contributions approximate $220,000.

International Programs: Brotherhood Fund Personal contributions by members enable other members to experience another culture first-hand by: visiting clubs in other parts of the world, being hosted in members’ homes, learning about their projects. Members apply for these travel grants. Annual contributions approximate $175,000.

Member Benefits To give back to the community Fellowship and fun Profitable use of free time Opportunities for youth development To be involved in international assistance

How to Start a Y Service Club Identify the needs in the Y and the community. Identify a group of people who might be interested in helping. Y members and potential members Church groups Members of other community organizations Call a meeting to discuss the needs and possible approaches, emphasizing the opportunity for personal development. Additional information can be downloaded at www.ysmen.org

Work Speaks Louder than Words www.ysmen.org www.ysmenusa.com