Whoa!
What a day!
In case you missed it, yesterday we did a ribbon cutting for the newest YMCA facility in our tool belt, the new Urban Plains Early Learning Center. We built the new building right behind Scheels Arena on 4.25 acres of land. The facility is 20,000+ square feet of classrooms with dedicated gym space for infants and toddlers and was designed and built with kids in mind. Nearly 250 children will call this space home from the time they are born until they head off to school. We even have training and development space in the building for our staff teams. The best part is that the facility provides the flexibility to one day host birthday parties, provide youth sports and community activities, house our food programs all with the capability to add to the facility in the future.
Right before I spoke to those gathered for the ribbon cutting, the little ones, a group of 1-and 2-year-olds, started to head outside on a beautiful late October afternoon. Just like you would do for a party you were throwing, we dressed our facility up for our party. There were balloon bouquets tethered to trikes, and streamers spread throughout. When one of the little ones went by, he exclaimed, “Whoa!”. I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to our building and what it will do for the community.
There have been a lot of whoa’s spread out over the last three years. The first was a gift that made the purchase of our property possible. Then unexpectedly, the donor stated that they had such trust in the organization that they wanted to support our great work in new ways. Thank you.
We had a more whoa’s as we started the facility planning process with the JLG Architects team. Our team, led by Lorrie Thoemke, Tania Zerr, and Ely Mercil, worked with the JLG team for hours designing a facility built with kids in mind. When you walk through the space today, you see the hours of work that led to a beautiful facility along with pinch-free doors, the gym space that I mentioned above, cubbies for infant car seats, and so much more.
The first time I walked into the facility, I texted the leader of JLG with my own whoa! I had seen it on paper for months on end, but never envisioned the impactful space until I saw the construction in person. We’re proud of how it’s going to help the community.
Other whoa’s include a donor base that believes that a facility like this is needed in our community. Thank you to the Offutt Family Foundation, the Otto Bremer Trust, Bremer Bank, and Sanford Health for supporting this project.
The work that our team does within the Learning Center is another Whoa moment. Watching the love and care that our staff provides to the kids in our programs is always a heartwarming moment for me. In our own lives, we very rarely remember the facility that we personally used and received great care. We always remember the people who provided it. I still remember those days when I was receiving services from my local Y and can remember the individuals who provided it for me. This building is the tool that allows our staff to care for children and families and will make a difference in their lives.
I think that little one had it right! Whoa!
See you at the Y!
Steve Smith, President and CEO
Originally published: October 29, 2024