Our Town Norfolk: YMCA Cares for Kids

By: Lance Schwartz - Email

Updated: Wed 2:25 PM, Feb 13, 2013

The Norfolk Family YMCA is in the business of changing lives. And business is good. The Norfolk 'Y' has more than 8,500 members. That means that at least a third of the entire town is a member at the 'Y'. And why not? This is where all the action is.

Stacy Anderson says, "This place is always busy. We have programs from itty bitty sports to all the way up to seniors which is really nice."

Stacy says the YMCA has more than 18,000 visits a month and they go out of their way to make sure everyone in town has the chance to get involved, "We provide the underprivileged youth in the community that can't afford a membership a program assistance."

Year to date, the YMCA has sponsored more than 185,000 dollars in program assistance. That's 1,300 people that are being served. Stacy says, "There's a lot of people that you wonder what would they be doing if they didn't have the 'Y' to come to."

One of those people is Cody Bronzynski who has found refuge at the 'Y' since he was 9 years old, "I used to not be the best kid around here, but I think the staff and the faculty here helped me learn responsibility and helped me grow up as a person as well as I always use the basketball gym as a sanctuary."

Stacy is proud of Cody's progress, "He's grown into a responsible young adult and the 'Y' is I think a huge part of that success in his life."

The Norfolk Family YMCA has been in business for 99 years. That means they're currently planning for a tremendous year in 2013 as they celebrate a century of success in Our Town Norfolk.

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