Gratitude is a popular topic this time of year with Thanksgiving and the magic of the winter holiday season. At our Y, we have the added layer of the Annual Campaign wrapping up and being able to celebrate the outstanding work of our volunteers, the generosity of our donors and the passion of all who support our work.
While attending Victory Celebrations for several branch campaigns, I ran into multiple individuals who have been supporting the Y for decades with just as much enthusiasm now as they had at the beginning. For them, it didn’t necessarily matter who is leading the branch or who even is leading the Y (humbling!). They have been driven by something larger since we started the campaign in 1993.
Based on these conversations, I believe the driving factors that keep people coming back for 30 years as a fundraiser and a Y storyteller comes from the relationships that develop and the firm belief that the work the Y does is making a significant difference in people’s lives.
The work that we are so fortunate to be able to do each day brings people together and helps them grow in spirit, mind and body. Our roles within the community are integral to building connection, driving change and bringing people together – year after year after year.
I am grateful every day of the year to work for the Y with our outstanding team of staff and volunteers, but every November, that gets an extra boost. I get to see the unending work this team does to raise support that helps fulfill our Mission, and I am moved.
To all who helped drive the YMCA Annual Campaign forward, thank you.
