Wichita, Kansas — Upholding its legacy as a volunteer-led organization guided by service, the Greater Wichita YMCA recently honored Brad Dillon as its 2024 Volunteer of the Year and Tim Peitner as the 2024 Coach of the Year. They are the highest awards presented to volunteers within the association that recognize exemplary dedication, leadership, and service to the Y and its mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that promote healthy lifestyles, strong families, and positive youth development to build healthy spirit, mind and body for all, regardless of ability to pay.
Dillon and Peitner received their awards during the Y’s Annual Celebration at Farha Sports Center-Andover that was attended by nearly 500 of their fellow volunteers, community leaders, elected officials and Y staff.
“The Greater Wichita YMCA is the community builder it is today because of volunteers like Brad Dillon and Tim Peitner whose remarkable passion to strengthen our community, support families and inspire positive youth development shows through in everything they do,” said Greater Wichita YMCA President and CEO Ronn McMahon. “We are deeply grateful for their selfless spirit and unwavering dedication."
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: BRAD DILLON
A highly respected member of the Hutchinson community, Dillon recently served as the chair of the Hutchinson YMCA’s ambitious $20 million capital campaign. He led by example every step of the way to clearly convey the lasting impact it will have on the community — not just today, but for generations to come.
Brad’s dedication to the Hutchinson YMCA and its community comes from a deep connection to the Y’s mission as well as to the people of Hutchinson.
“The Hutchinson Y attracts a cross-section of the community that I don’t see anywhere else in town. It stands alone,” he said while accepting the award.
Dillon is known for consistently giving his time, talents, and resources to the Hutchinson Y, with his legal expertise playing a pivotal role during two milestone moments.
Through his involvement, he ensured that the Hutchinson Y’s partnership with the Greater Wichita YMCA was completed smoothly in 2022; he also facilitated critical conversations with Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System to secure land for the new Hutchinson Y branch that is set to open in 2026.
COACH OF THE YEAR: TIM PEITNER
Peitner has been part of the youth sports program at the Ken Shannon Northwest YMCA for the past seven years. His unmatched coaching abilities in basketball and flag football are only surpassed by the passion, knowledge, patience and caring he has for everyone around him – whether that’s staff, officials, children or parents.
Described as kind and patient, Peitner’s main focus is making sure the children he interacts with grow up to be well-rounded adults and strong in every part of their lives.
After he was announced as Coach of the Year, Peitner shared the reason why he volunteers: “Wins or losses, I don’t care. It’s my job to help my players grow. To be someone outside of their mom and dad to believe in them so that they can be better humans going forward in whatever they do in life.”
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ABOUT THE GREATER WICHITA YMCA
Since 1885, The Greater Wichita YMCA has been volunteer-led and mission driven to promote healthy lifestyles, strong families and positive youth development for all in South Central Kansas. Today, we employ more than 1,400 individuals and serve well over 300,000 of our neighbors in Butler, Harvey, Reno and Sedgwick Counties. We support a healthy spirit, mind, and body through community development, education and wellness initiatives, youth and family programs, licensed child care and camp, and physical activity. Our more than 190,000 members have access to over one million square feet of fitness space across our 11 area branch locations in Andover, El Dorado, Newton, Hutchinson and Wichita as well as four seasonal, outdoor water parks, three indoor/outdoor sports complexes, Camp Hyde and Camp Hiawatha. Our annual Strong Community Campaign, which funds our free and reduced-cost programs and enables scholarships, grants and income-based member and program pricing for those who qualify, allows us to honor our commitment to serve all, regardless of their ability to pay. Learn more at ymcawichita.org.