Ridgedale YMCA Tree Lot - Making a difference this holiday season in the life of a family.

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.

A Life Changing Story About Giving Back at the Ridgedale YMCA

A couple of months ago I awarded a scholarship to Harold Stafford. He was a successful attorney, his star still rising, when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. After a treatment regimen that included surgery, several courses of chemotherapy, and radiation, he was left with enough brain damage to end his career. Although he’s worked on some fairly strenuous rehabilitation therapies, his memory will never be good enough for him to return to law. He’s been looking for work, but isn’t having much luck.

This morning he stopped at the desk to ask if I had any Financial Assistance clients who needed a bit of help. He’d received a check for $100.00, a gift from a family member, and he wanted to help someone who was struggling, as he’s struggled. He left $20 for Y-Partners. He said that he’s so grateful to have the Y at a price he can afford that he wanted to pass his good fortune along.

Harold is a blessing – when he comes in he’s cheerful, gentle, grateful to be here, and to be alive. It’s enormously inspiring that someone who lives on disability, which is WELL below the poverty level, is willing to give so much. Working with someone like Harold is what makes working at the Y so rewarding!