Sentinel photo courtesy of VICTORIA SEARER
At the Juniata Valley YMCA benefit dinner, those in attendance can participate in 50/50 drawings.
BURNHAM — For the 14th year the Juniata Valley YMCA will conduct a benefit dinner with an emphasis on trying to keep growing in the right direction.
Victoria Searer, now in her third year with the Y as the executive director, is focused on keeping up with the times and providing a safe venue for all-comers.
“When I was hired that was a big goal. Bring the Y into the 2020s. That was what I always heard, “Well the members are paying their memberships and nothing is being done.” We wanted to get updated, get upgraded, and get the Y to what it was. Get people excited about coming to the Y again. We just have something for all ages here,” Searer noted.
In previous years, funds from the benefit dinner have been used for recoating the pool walls and floor, new security cameras, renovations in the men’s locker room, equipment for the cardio room and weight room. The YMCA also redid the racketball floors, put up a mural, painted an entryway, replaced all of the emergency lighting and installed a new roof in the blue gym.
Searer wants to help members enjoy coming to the YMCA as they pursue fitness goals and participate in different activities.
The benefit dinner is the Y’s biggest fundraiser of the year. It includes silent auctions, basket raffles, 50/50 drawings, and rip tickets. The event takes place at the Burnham Lions Club on August 15. Doors and the auction opens at 5 p.m. with the meal at 6 p.m.
The YMCA benefit dinner includes ham, scalloped potatoes, corn, green beans, applesauce, roll, and a variety of desserts. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for youths. Tickets will be available at the YMCA front desk in July.
“It’s grown. We’ve almost outgrown the lions club facility… But, the Burnham Lions Club has been good to us… Last year we made just under $10,000. I want to say $12,000 is a realistic goal (for this year),” Searer added.
The YMCA is thankful to members who donate that help with the dinner. Money raised goes to awards and some of the projects in need of funds.
The YMCA has a few big goals on their list, including needing a new ceiling in the pool area, they want to get the second floor renovated, and make the aerobics room bigger. Searer added that another goal is to turn the other half of the second floor into an after school program
“There are a lot of kids who will walk here after school and they will be here kind of all night. We want to give them a place to go. If they need help with their homework, if they need a snack after school, if they just want to hang out that’s what the Y’s all about. We want to turn that area into more of a kid friendly area to have an after school program,” Searer said.
Searer mentioned that in the summer she wants to have that area for summer day campers to go. It’s one of the only areas that has air conditioning.
The YMCA is also looking for a new floor in the blue gym, which is almost 50 years old. The floor bubbles up in some areas and has some dead spots.
Basketball, gymnastics, pickleball, karate, and judo are held in the blue gym.
The Juniata Valley YMCA continues to press forward with an attempt to make a fun atmosphere and the benefit dinner is a big factor in achieving important goals.
For more YMCA information call (717) 248-5019 or visit jvymca.org.