I want to personally thank you, the Greater Wichita Community, for your support of the YMCA. I am grateful for everyone, from the staff at our branches, to youth participants, to partners, to members and families whose connection to the Y brings normalcy back into their lives.  Not even a global pandemic had the power to take away our sense of community and purpose.  2020 isn’t the year we expected, but it is a year that showed all of us how much we need each other.  It also reaffirmed something I’ve known for quite some time – the Greater Wichita YMCA family is tough. 

After temporarily closing in March, the Greater Wichita YMCA was in the fortunate position to reopen in June to once again safely provide childcare, summer camp, health and wellness facilities and pools. I am so proud and grateful of our YMCA community and what we have accomplished together over these past eight months. This brings a quote to mind from Gertrude Stein, “Silent gratitude isn’t much good to anyone.”  

On behalf of the organization, let me publicly share my gratitude list with you. 

• I am grateful for the volunteer board of directors and staff leadership over the past decades whose vision and discipline paved the way for our organization to survive this crisis when others may not.
• I am grateful for our staff members who are on the front lines taking care of our community’s children and families while they have their own families to protect. They have been stretched in all directions and made sacrifices for their community and the people they love.
• I am grateful for our members who have returned to the Y, worn masks and cleaned equipment to assist in keeping our facilities safe as well as those who are virtually connecting with us in their homes. 
• I am grateful for the many, many people whose continued donations allow our organization to be available “FOR ALL.”

What a blessing it is for me personally to work for an organization that has visionary volunteer leadership, a committed staff team and the participation and support of the community.  No one knows what’s next, but I do know if we stick together and focus on our mission “to put Christian values into practice FOR ALL” and our values of Caring Honesty, Respect and Responsibility, we will come out of this stronger and more unified than before.

I wish you and your family a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Ronn McMahon
President and CEO
Greater Wichita YMCA