My love for the YMCA runs deep, starting at the age of 5 as a camp kid at Eagle Rock. This carried me through 10 AMAZING summers, meeting friends I am still very much connected to as an adult and learning so much about myself and my community. I was a Y kid for life. My first job at the age of 16 was a camp counselor at the Lake Norman Y. Fast forward 20 years….I was still working at the Y in all different capacities from youth programming to health and wellness.

I knew that when I had kids, they were going to be Y kids. They were going to get to experience everything I was blessed to get to do. So when my oldest, Sam came home from camp one day asking questions about signs that said “send a kid to camp”….I had to explain to him that not every child got the opportunity to attend camp because their family may not be able to afford it, his heart sank. I saw the sadness in his eyes when he said “that’s not fair.” That sadness quickly turned into “how can I help?”

Proud is an understatement. Sam’s devotion and passion for helping these kids who don’t have the opportunity to experience this part of childhood is unwavering, and I couldn’t be more proud.

For his birthday, instead of gifts, Sam would love for his family and friends to donate to the Y’s “Send a kid to camp” program that means so much to his heart. In his words, he can’t wait to meet so many more friends next summer that he might not have been able to if it wasn’t for the money raised through this program.

Some amazing facts about what the Y has done in 2024:

• The Y will provide over $2 million in financial scholarships for programs like preschool, afterschool and summer camp.

• Over 3,000 children will be served with literacy instruction through programs like Y Readers, which is offered at no charge to participants.

• Over 1,500 children will receive swimming lessons at affordable rates for their families.