WHAT IS THE YMCA?
Together YMCAs are the largest not-for-profit community service organizations in America.  In over 2,200 YMCAs, they work to meet health and social service needs of 16.9 million men, women and children.  YMCAs are for people of all faiths, races, abilities, ages and incomes.  Despite its unchanging name, women are admitted to full membership and participation.  No one is turned away for the inability to pay.  The programs help people develop values and behavior that are consistent with Christian principles and are tools for building the YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.  Each Y is independent.  YMCAs are required to pay annual dues, to refrain from discrimination and to support the YMCA mission.  All other decisions are local choices, including programs offered, staffing and style of operation. 

HOW THIS EFFORT GOT STARTED
After an informational meeting in Cadillac in January 2000, there was enough interest from the attendees to form an Organizing Committee for a YMCA in Cadillac.  With the leadership of Gary Unruh of the YMCA Management Resource Center, the committee performed a Feasibility Study.  This included a community assessment to determine needs in the greater Cadillac area (including Cadillac, Manton, Mesick, McBain, Lake City and Tustin) and to avoid duplication of similar facilities.  Also, 60 community leader interviews were performed by the YMCA to determine community issues and needs, input for components of a YMCA facility and support for a Y.

THE FEASIBILITY STUDY
In June 2000, Gary Unruh presented the results of the Feasibility Report to the Organizing Committee.  The results of the community assessment revealed there is a large range of programs available in the community.  The largest programming gap was due to lack of a competition-size indoor pool.  From the community leader interview results, the top five components needed in the community were, in order, indoor swimming pool, teen center, gym, day care and fitness center.  The number one facility need was an indoor pool with 98.2% of the respondents choosing an indoor pool.  The most pressing social/recreational issue facing the community was gang problems/need for positive place for teens.  Based on this information, the Y recommended a facility with an aquatic center that includes: a six-lane, 25 meter pool, a separate diving area and a therapeutic/ handicapped-accessible pool; a teen center; a small gymnasium and a state-of-the-art fitness center.  The cost of this facility is approximately $4 million and the monthly membership rate for a family will be $49.  The YMCA was concerned with the respondents' common view that there is no middle class in Cadillac and that there will be difficulty in raising capital dollars and annual support.

In order to get specific local input, the Organizing Committee then followed up with one-on-one meetings with representatives from the following:  City of Cadillac, Cadillac Area Public Schools, Wexford County, Mercy Hospital, Cadillac Area Community Foundation, Cadillac Teen Center Board, Baker College, the Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, Cadillac Senior Center, Kirtland Terrace and Harborview.  In the fall of 2000, a membership signature survey was performed to determine the number of area families/adults interested in paying a full-price membership. 

FOUNDERS CAMPAIGN AND STORE-FRONT FACILITY
With much positive input from the community and more than 950 names on the membership signature survey, the Organizing Committee voted to form a Founders Committee to raise $300,000 needed for three-year start-up costs to begin Y programming.  In the spring and summer of 2001, the Founders Committee was formed.  In May 2001 a professional fundraising consultant was retained through the YMCA of the USA.  The Founders Campaign commenced at the end of September 2001 and successfully met its goal in January of 2002.

The Cadillac Area YMCA Board of Directors was officially formed in the spring of 2002.  An Executive Director was hired and stared in August of 2002.  A “store-front” Y office was opened in the CAPS administrative building.

PROGRAMS
The Cadillac Area YMCA is dedicated to building a healthy, vital and caring community through enrichment and developmental programs for all.  Since the fall of 2002 we have done this by offering approximately 30 different programs in areas such as health and fitness, aquatics, gymnastic, youth sports, summer camp, the arts and a teen center.  We offer activities for all age groups from preschoolers to senior citizens, as well as for the whole family to participate together.   We are interested in community partnership and currently have a cooperative agreement with the Cadillac Area Public Schools to run Camp Torenta.  We coordinate the community Love and Logic program.  From January of 2004 through June of 2005 we also partnered with Wexford County to manage the Wex – which set that facility on a course of  future success.
           
The goals, objectives, and programs of the YMCA positively impact community priorities as identified in the Cadillac Area Needs Assessment(CANA); especially in areas of Children & Family and Healthy Lifestyles.  Our goals also match needs of youth identified in the 2005 Youth Advisory Committee’s study of teen needs.

FACILITY
Starting out as a “store front” YMCA programs have been conducted in upwards to fifteen different program sites.  From the YMCA’s inception it has been the plan to build a YMCA community center facility for Cadillac.  Such a facility is to include an aquatic center, gymnasium, healthy lifestyle center, meeting rooms, teen center, childwatch area, etc.  A capital needs assessment was conducted at the end of 2004 with results supportive of a building.  The study suggested a partnership with another entity to achieve the vision.  Such a partnership is being explored with Baker College.  A market study  was initiated in the summer of 2005 with the results to determine the viability of a YMCA facility as well as to develop operating plans for the facility.  Positive results were returned through this effort.  A capital fundraising campaign is to begin in 2006.