The Young Men’s Christian Association, YMCA, was founded in London, England, on June 6, 1844, in response to unhealthy social conditions arising in the big cities at the end of the Industrial Revolution (roughly 1750 to 1850). Growth of the railroads and centralization of commerce and industry brought many rural young men who needed jobs into cities like London. They worked 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week.
Far from home and family, these young men often lived at the workplace. They slept crowded into rooms over the company’s shop, a location thought to be safer than London’s tenements and streets. Outside the shop things were bad — open sewers, pickpockets, thugs, beggars, drunks, lovers for hire and abandoned children running wild by the thousands.
George Williams, born on a farm in 1821, came to London 20 years later as a sales assistant in a draper’s shop, a forerunner of today’s department store. He and a group of fellow drapers organized the first YMCA to substitute Bible study and prayer for life on the streets.
By 1851 there were 24 Ys in Great Britain, with a combined membership of 2,700. That same year the Y arrived in North America: It was established in Montreal on November 25, and in Boston on December 29.
In 1854, a small group of idealistic young men gathered to start the Young Men’s Christian Association of Cleveland. What began as a group devoted to the doing of good deeds and the mission of spreading the gospel, has evolved into a community service and charity based organization committed to the promotion of diverse principles through the balanced development of mind, body and spirit in the Greater Cleveland community. From strong beginnings with founding members such as Henry A. Sherwin, Serano P. Fenn to philanthropists John D. Rockefeller, L.H. Severance and S.T. Wellman, the foundation of the Y’s past has remained the blueprint of our future.
Since its founding in 1854, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland has provided quality programs and services across an increasingly wide spectrum that encompasses fitness, education, civic service and community health and well-being.
More locally, the Geauga Family YMCA started construction for it’s building in 2002 and 2003 and officially opened it’s door in February 2004.
What you should know about your local YMCA
- The YMCA is a leading nonprofit organization for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
- The Geauga Family YMCA serves over 10,600 members and has over 250,000 visits annually.
- The Geauga Family YMCA gave out over $136,000 in scholarships in 2016. This fund allows for kids and families that otherwise might not be financially able to use the YMCA and learn many life skills.
- The Geauga Family YMCA staff donated over $4,000 to the scholarship fund for 2017.
- The Geauga Family YMCA has over 100 staff members in many different departments including, swim teachers, front desk staff, personal trainers, group exercise teachers, lifeguards, teachers, and many more.
- The Geauga Family YMCA has 89 active members who give to the scholarship fund.
- The Geauga Family YMCA has 1,738 people receiving a scholarship, 56% of these funds go directly towards membership or programs for children. We also serve seniors and families through this fund.
- The Geauga Family YMCA served over 600 kids in youth sports in 2016 through basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, football, and camp.
- Dr. James Naismith invented the game Basketball in 1891 while working and studying at the YMCA International Training School in Massachusetts (later renamed Springfield College).
- In 1895, William Morgan, an instructor at the YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts invented Volleyball. Today over 46 million people play volleyball.
- In 1950, YMCA volunteer Joe Sobek invented racquetball in Greenwich, Connecticut, as an alternative to squash and handball. Like previous YMCA inventors, Sobek was not paid for his invention; he bestowed it as a gift to all who play the game today.
- The YMCA is the nation’s number 1 child care provider providing pre-school, before and after care, and child watch services.
- The YMCA of Greater Cleveland provides child care to 1,200 in 4 counties and 46 locations.
- The YMCA of Greater Cleveland provides Sports Camp programming to 9 YMCA’s and 3 counties including Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Lorain counties.
- The Geauga Otter Swim Team has over 125 kids participating, they participate in meets throughout the state and qualify to national meets.
- The Geauga Otter Swim Team is one of 25 teams in NE Ohio.
- 240 kids are currently in our Otter Swim school learning the life skill of swimming
- In the US there are 583 YMCA Swim Teams with over 58,000 swimmers
- Worldwide, the Y serves more than 45 million people in 119 countries. YMCA’s across the U.S. play an integral role in strengthening the leadership and youth programs of the Y around the world.
- The foundation of the YMCA is guided by four core values: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
If you would like more information about becoming a member of the Geauga Family YMCA or donating to their scholarship fund please visit the Geauga Family YMCA website or call 440-285-7543. Also be sure to “LIKE” their Facebook page for more information.
This article is brought to you by the Geauga Family YMCA
