Be The Light, The Family YMCA's 2020 Online Event & Auction

The Family YMCA has been a point of light to many in our community for the last 65 years. Thanks to donors, our charitable nonprofit has helped thousands of children and adults to belong, to have access, and to thrive because no one is turned away for inability to pay.

Today, the Y still needs to be a point of light in our community for 300 people on assistance. And during this economic downturn, we need your help to be a light for others.  Please participate to keep the Y light aglow during these difficult times.

Global pandemic? Our Y shows up.  Compliant with the Governor's orders and safe practices, we've hosted free virtual classes, and supported teens through a staff-supervised Discord server for up to 12 hours/day, as well as connected youth to town leaders virtually.  We've cared for community children in Day Camp and Afterschool, carefully reopened our health facility and Espanola YMCA Teen Center, and are set to safely open youth sports, child watch, and family workouts amidst severe revenue loss.

At the close of the auction and raffle on October 31, prize winners will be sent an email or text informing them of their winning status. Auction winners may check themselves out through credit card payment, or pledge to arrangement payment.

We will select the raffle winner late in the afternoon of November 2 after all raffle tickets have been paid for. We will send a text informing raffle ticket purchasers the number of the winning ticket, and we will also contact the winner.

During the first week of November, bid winners will receive an email or text from the Y to arrange either the delivery or pick up of prizes. We can mail some out of area items at no cost, but we cannot mail alcohol, food or furniture.

Please note that the Donation Goal above reflects only outright donations, and not total funds raised during this event.

"I just met up with a grandma, who's raising her granddaughter," Espanola YMCA Teen Center Administrative Assistant Renee Sandoval reported on May 15.  "She said her granddaughter can hardly wait till we reopen.  She said she appreciates all we've done for her granddaughter, the change in the girl's attitude and her lack of caring, has improved greatly.  She said her granddaughter's willingness to help around the house has increased, and her use of foul language has decreased greatly, and that she even redirects her younger sister to watch her language.  The grandmother extended thank-you's and lots of appreciation."

"We hear a lot from parents, grandparents, and guardians on the improvements they see in their teens. We've even heard from kids' friends on the good changes they see in their friends."

The Family YMCA's purpose is to address the outstanding needs in our communities. We believe that relationships and physical presence are the best means to deliver lasting personal and social change.

But we couldn't do it without the help of partners and collaborators. Our 2019 major partners are listed here. Very recent Espanola YMCA Teen Center partners are listed on our website.

Thank you for recognizing that it takes a village to raise a child, and thank you for caring for your neighbors. Below, Y leaders share their thoughts on the Y's work.

Y BOARD PRESIDENT DEB HULING:

"I serve the Y because it reaches 1,800 homes locally.  I serve because of the wide variety of programming offered to families and individuals of all ages regardless of their ability to pay.  I serve because of its mission focusing on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility.  I serve because there isn't any other organization with such a broad outreach bridging the communities of Los Alamos and Espanola.  I serve because I believe in its core values.  I serve the Y because every day it makes a difference in people's lives."

Y CEO CHRIS DANIELS:

"I love working at the Y because I know every day we are changing lives.  We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which our four core values - caring, honest, respect and responsibility - are integral to the experience of our members and program participants. Our Y empowers our staff to make a direct impact in our community, and to achieve their professional goals by directly supporting physical, emotional and social connections that all people need for a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle.  We truly are a cause-driven organization devoted to strengthening the foundations of our community."

The Family YMCA could not have hosted this event if it weren't for the generosity of people and companies willing to donate amazing items to our auction. Most of the names of these generous donors are noted per item.

We thank our Board members for their leadership in stewarding our mission, for their time and their treasure, and the donations they made to this auction. 

Last but not least, we thank our staff for their work year-round, but these staff in particular for their assistance in creating this online event: Dianna Reichelt for being our auction master; Jocelyn Chapman for marketing and partner outreach; Janine Morales for her expertise in video production; and Diana Martinez for editing.  We are very grateful for the light they bring to the Y.

Community made us happen. Members attending a community organizing meeting in 1954 said the town needed a YMCA. They petitioned Congress for permission, which was granted.  In 1955, a board of volunteers was established and the Y was granted a charter from the YMCA of the USA.   Rev. Archer E. Anderson of the United Church, was the Y's founding father. Jesse T. Rose was the first board president.

The Y has grown from its original site at T-18 and hosting a community calendar, dances and clubs, to an Atomic Energy Commission-rented dorm site at its present location. It has been funded by "memberships," the "Community Chest," which eventually became the United Way of Northern New Mexico-Los Alamos, and until 1962 by Los Alamos County grants. It has grown through donations to capital campaigns, and been sustained by membership dues and program fees.

In 2007, the Y was awarded a contract from the City of Espanola to operate a Teen Center for community youth. In 2011, Los Alamos County awarded the Y a contract to operate to a Teen Center locally.

Member dues, program fees, donations, grants, and contracts fund our work today. The United Way of Northern New Mexico-Los Alamos partly supports the Espanola YMCA Teen Center, and Afterschool and Camp scholarships.

The Family YMCA's mission is to build community strength by focusing on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. As a 501c3 nonprofit charitable organization, the Y ensures access for all through financial assistance scholarships and typically provides $100,000/year to 300 individuals, 200 of which are children in Y Camps, Afterschool and sports and recreation programs.