Editor’s Note: The Marshall Area YMCA is observing its 20th anniversary. The following are contributions from YMCA members and from those who were involved in the development of the facility.

YMCA offered additional option for running

When the Marshall Area YMCA opened 20 years ago, I just thought of it as just a place to exercise. I have been an avid runner for many years now and I try to run outside whenever possible. I was able to use the Y as an additional option for when the weather outside just wasn’t great for running, or if it was late at night. The Y supported me in reaching my running related goals. Two of my favorite events that the Y hosts are the Gobble Wobble and the Shamrock Shuffle. We have had some mild days for both of these events, but also some snow/ice and wind (there’s always wind).

But I also found out the Y was so much more than that. When my kids were younger, we were able to make use of the Y’s programs including youth sports, swimming lessons, and child watch.

In 2011, I joined the YMCA board of directors. This was a great opportunity to understand the operational aspects of the Y, as well as some of the challenges it was facing; pool maintenance, space utilization, and air exchange (heating/cooling) to mention a few. A few years later, I was able to step into board leadership, serving as board chair for two years and past chair for one year.

My most memorable moment from this time was really digging into our strategy and determining what the Y should look like in the future. Shortly after this, COVID… We had to switch from the exciting strategic conversations to survival mode, as most public places were shut down.

With tremendous board, staff, and community support the YMCA was able to weather the storm but there are still some challenges that exist from the pandemic. Some memberships were canceled during the pandemic, and some of those never came back to the Y. Also, during this time there was an increase in online and home wellness offerings from other sources. It’s important that we think about these offerings as a supplement to the Y and not a replacement or competitor, as the Y still provides that community aspect.

The Y has been, and needs to remain, a community hub for Marshall. Many programs and health and wellness initiatives are created and supported by the YMCA. The Y is a great resource for our community, but it also needs our support, primarily financially and through volunteerism.

It’s interesting to sit back and think about what the Y will look like in the future. Through our collective support, we can ensure this great resource will continue to impact the community for another 20 years.

Mark Schnaser

Grateful for support to farmers’ market

As current president of the Marshall Farmers’ Market, I am immensely grateful for the support and backing given to us by the YMCA. When I first became involved in the market 15 years ago, it was certainly a bustling little market, but was not operating yet at its full potential. Through the subsequent partnership that we forged with the YMCA, we have been able to grow and thrive and become what we are today. 

 Our core mission is to serve the Marshall community by being a sustainable hub of exchange of local foods and goods, and to provide this service in an experientially vibrant setting. To that end, we simply would not be able to do what we do without the generous assistance of the Y. In addition to letting us use their equipment and facilities, the Y has opened doors for us that would not otherwise have been possible, and which help us fulfill our mission better.  Their communication and marketing channels have allowed more people to find out about us; they have given us access to funding programs which bring dollars into the market and expand our ability to reach more people in the community (a win/win for both the producers and the community-at-large); and they have helped us obtain the funding to enrich the setting and experience of the market with live music. 

A trip to the Farmers’ Market is no longer just for stocking up the refrigerator, but is now a culturally vibrant event, and an exceptionally enjoyable way for the family to spend a Saturday morning!  Without a doubt, Marshall can be proud of our market.

 On a more personal level, the partnership with the YMCA has provided great comfort and help to those of us on the Market board in fulfilling our roles better. Tom Bolin and Kim Guenther are amazing cheerleaders and advocates for the Farmers’ Market and are committed to seeing us succeed.

We are not “on our own” but we have their help to navigate our way through the various challenges and decisions that inevitably arise. I am incredibly thankful for what each of them has done and continues to do for us.

 Do you, like me, love our Farmers’ Market? Then make sure you thank the YMCA.

Dan Wambeke

What a great facility

About a month ago, I drove up to the YMCA to find the parking lot almost full. It was a weekday night at about 7 p.m. The YMCA was busy with activity. There were people using the meeting rooms and kids in the gym being instructed on the fundamentals of basketball. Their parents were watching them and visiting with other parents. The upstairs level was busy with people using the track, exercise, and weight equipment along with a group of people in the aerobics studio. The swimming pool hosted water aerobics and kids were enjoying the zero-depth pool.

The thought went through my mind, what would these people be doing if the YMCA was not here?

What were they doing before the opening of the Y?

What a great facility we have! I feel fortunate to be able to be part of it. I joined the YMCA initially to have a place to work out and exercise, but have found it to be more than that. It has become a place to make new friends, and to get involved and hopefully make a difference in the community. Being a board member has allowed me to become more actively involved in the YMCA’s commitment to building strong kids, strong families, and a strong community. I truly believe the YMCA is instrumental in doing this. The YMCA gives our kids a pace to go to partake in activities in a safe environment, it provides a location where families can come together, and it brings families together to achieve common goals, which in the end will lead to a stronger healthier community.

Being on the board has helped me in having a voice in what is happening at the YMCA. Also participating in the Y Partners Campaign has given me an opportunity to not only help raise money to make the Y available to all but to also tell the YMCA’s story and mission to overs.

What a great facility, run by wonderful staff. No matter what time of day, the staff are there. In most cases they call you by name. They make you feel welcomed.

I have continued to be involved in fundraising campaigns and advisory committees.

We have had a few challenging years due to the pandemic, but all involved have done what is necessary to grow programs recover members. We continue to have great staff and volunteers that allow us to reach our goals of making the YMCA available to all.

Al Antony

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT – Cultivating values, skills and relationships that lead to positive behaviors and better health.

Youth development to discover who we are and nurturing what we can become.

Organized, intentional programs focused on our well-being.

Understanding the values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.

Timely adjustments based on community needs assessment.

Honest communication and discipline.

HEALTHY LIVING – Providing support, guidance and resources needed to achieve greater health.

Healthy living alternatives for all.

Energized staff and volunteers.

Amenities for all.

Learning that supports spirit, mind, and body for all.

Teaching meaningful life skills to all.

Honest interactions and collaborations.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY – Empowering people to be healthy, confident, connected, and secure.

Supporting Marshall and our surrounding communities.

Open to feedback and willing to facilitate change.

Christian principles through shared interests.

Intercultural diversity.

Aquatics Center.

Leadership that is knowledgeable and adaptable.

Gabe Pieper

Proud of all the YMCA has provided the community

Congratulations to the Marshall Area YMCA on its 20-year anniversary.  I’d like to first acknowledge the community leaders (Robert Aufenthie, Paul Rehkamp, Ken Mukomela, and Howard Miller to name a few) who had the foresight to build a YMCA rather than a community center.  There is no other facility in our local area that offers activities, events, and comradery like our YMCA.

Over the last 20 years, the YMCA has provided valuable services to our local seniors, families, and youth.  The Y is so much more than just a neighborhood gym.  These services run the gamut of summer camps, after school care, learn to swim lessons, educational health classes, sports activities for all ages, community events, and most importantly – a place to build connections. 

Personally, I’ve been a Y member since 2014.  I’ve been able to feel the burn at BodyPump, level up my pickleball game, and swim laps during a Minnesota winter.  You join the Y for the exercise, but you stay for the people and the friendships. 

 As we look back on celebrating the past 20 years, I can’t help but think about what’s next.  I’m proud of all that Y has provided to the community, but I’m even more excited about what more we can do over the next 20 years. 

Steven Rassier