A couple of weekends ago we had a number of folks visiting the Ridgedale YMCA tree lot “looking for a deal”. I was working with such a costumer who was trying to get me to come down in price on a $40 dollar balsam – she didn’t want to spend more than $20 bucks! She and her husband were both on the lot, they drove separately and it didn’t seem like the extra $20 should have been I big deal but I did come down to $30.
While haggling on the price of the balsam, I noticed a mom with two young boys drive up in a pretty beat up, rusty vehicle. She had been going from one small tree to the next checking the price tags that I knew ranged in from $48 to $56 dollars. I had just finished tying the $30 balsam on the top of the customer’s car when I saw the woman loading her boys back into her car.
I caught up with her just before she got in the car; I could see the boys looked pretty disappointed when I tossed out the questions, “couldn’t find what you were looking for?” She smiled and said, “well, it’s just all too much” – I think she was referring to the holidays. I suggested we give it another try and assured we would find something that she could take home. I could see from boys’ expressions that this was a deal mom was going to need to consider.
We headed back to the trees when the mom suggested that if there was just something smaller; they didn’t need much. With that I couldn’t help but grab one of the 6 foot balsams off the rack and said, “how about this one for $20 bucks?” The smiles on the two boys made up the difference and we had a deal.
As I loaded the tree the mother let me know how much she appreciated the affordable tree. I think in the eyes of her boys we were able to pull it off in a way that mom was able to buy a tree like every other family buys a tree.
The work that each of you do as volunteers, as staff, as members of the same community, makes a difference in the lives of so many. It is a caring adult in an after school program in Wayzata who helps a Minneapolis student with home work; it is financial assistance that allows a young man to regain mobility after a health crisis; it is the single mother who needs a safe and affordable activity in the summer for her son; it is a swim lesson given to a young Somalian girl that prevents her becoming part of a growing statistic.
Thank you for making a difference, for being a part of helping the YMCA build strong kids, strong families and strong communities… One Child, one Member, one Christmas tree at a time.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Ridgedale YMCA Tree Lot - Making a difference this holiday season in the life of a family.
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2 comments:
I am confused...you're a non-profit and still charge for working out? what else do you offer for families?
Anonymous,
Thanks for your great question. We’d like to take a moment to tell you a little more about the YMCA and the role it fills in the metro area.
The YMCA of Metropolitan Minneapolis is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charity, the oldest and largest provider of services to youth and families in the community. It was established in Minneapolis in 1866, and currently serves 75,000 members and over 130,000 program participants. There are 12 YMCA branches, four resident camps, five regional day camps, and over 30 day care sites.
The YMCA is open to all members of the community - boys, girls, men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and faith. While there is a fee for membership in the YMCA, we will not turn anyone away from the Y due to an inability to pay. Thanks to the generosity of our members and partners in the community, our annual Y Partners fundraising program raises money to provide financial assistance to those who cannot otherwise afford to take advantage of what the Y has to offer. Membership fees help to pay the salaries of the dedicated people who work for the Y (often for far less money than they could make in the private sector), while our capital fundraising campaigns enable us to improve and expand our facilities to better serve the communities in which we operate.
Inside each YMCA, you will find programs designed to improve spirit, mind and body. (I know this may sound like a cliché, but there’s a good reason it’s in our mission statement.) Our programs address what we see as five critical needs in our communities: school success, safe and affordable childcare, healthy lifestyles, water safety, and health disparities. As we state in this blog, the YMCA is more than just a gym-and-swim facility.
In addition to our programs inside the branches, the YMCA has a high-impact outreach to the community. We are the largest seasonal employer of teen-age youth, and we have over 2,000 volunteers serving Y programs.
The YMCA continues to have a deep commitment to youth education and development. We are the sponsor of the WISE Charter School, which is ranked as one of the 10 best in Minnesota. Our Beacons after-school programs operate in Minneapolis public schools, our Multicultural Achievers Program is in 17 area schools, and we provide nearly 250 academic tutors for local elementary students.
Thanks again for your question, Anonymous. I hope you will follow up if you have more questions or concerns.
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