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In Episode 5 of the Community Rec Magazine Podcast, leaders of the Eugene Family YMCA — CEO Brian Steffen and chief development officer Danielle Uhlhorn — share about the Y’s $48 million project, including gaining community support, features of the project, and more.
Show Notes
- Danielle is a former board president of the Eugene Family YMCA board of directors. She was board president for six years before becoming a staff member more than four years ago.
- Brian joined the Eugene Family YMCA as CEO in May 2018. Previously, he was the CEO of the Missoula Family YMCA, and spent a decade working as the CEO of a community action agency.
- Both Danielle and Brian came into the project and have helped see it to fruition as efforts to build the facility have been underway for over a decade.
- The $48 million project is evidence of the broad support of the community as it received state funds, federal funding, and financial assistance from foundations in addition to hundreds of individual donors.
- Specifically, some of the major funding sources include: $15 million from the state of Oregon, $2 million in federal dollars and $4 million from local philanthropists and Y supporters Bill — a board director — and Michelle Service. The Y also received $1.25 million from PeaceHealth for a medical partnership and $1.5 million from the Chambers Family Foundation.
- The 75,000-square-foot facility will feature:
- A fully ADA-accessible, flexible floor plan that can change as needed.
- Activity centers for academic tutoring, maker spaces and learning labs.
- A teaching kitchen for families and individuals to gain nutritional knowledge.
- An expanded health and wellness center that includes an indoor track and spin cycle room.
- An expanded aquatics center to teach youth safety skills, support rehabilitation and preventative care, and a splash pad for introducing water to toddlers.
- The addition of critical programs like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s support, blood pressure awareness and falls prevention.
- The highest level of seismic standards so the building can be re-purposed as a shelter after a devastating earthquake.
- The new Eugene Family YMCA is expected to open in December 2023 with much celebration. Stay tuned to Community Rec as we’ll be conducting a follow-up once the facility is up and running.
Listen where you like: Subscribe to the Community Rec Magazine Podcast on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud and Spotify.
