In The Last Word, we sit down with an industry expert to share their wealth of knowledge. In the September/October 2025 issue, the conversation features Sarah Folmar, the CEO of the Danville Family YMCA.
1. How did you get started in the community recreation industry?
SF: I began my career with the YMCA in Cincinnati, Ohio, when I was in college at the University of Cincinnati. I started out as an aerobics instructor to fulfill my love for dance and to lose the “freshman 15” I gained as a freshman in college. I immediately fell in love with the Y, the mission and the people. That was 31 years ago.
2. What’s been a key to your team’s success? What are you most proud of?
SF: The key to our team’s success is the culture we create. We provide an environment of fun, flexibility and focus on faith. I’m proud of my team and their commitment to our community. They do amazing work every single day inside one of the most beautiful Y’s in the country.
3. What has been one of the biggest accomplishments of your career?
SF: To be given the opportunity for us to build a beautiful state-of-the-art, two-story glass front facility in the heart of Danville, Virginia, along the beautiful Dan River and river walk trail completely debt free. The Y had previously been struggling with an old facility in very poor condition and financially drained. It was amazing to watch it all take shape and come together. Our community needed for us to step up in a big way and give them something to be proud of. We ended up being ranked by Athletic Business Magazine as one of the top 10 new recreational facilities in the world in 2015.
4. What has been one of the biggest challenges you have faced in your career?
SF: Learning to silence the negative and to focus on the goal and what we’re here to do.
This takes years. It’s the 80/20 rule — focus on the 80% and ignore the negative 20%.
5. What is one lesson you have learned that other community recreation professionals can learn from?
SF: Nothing is more important than the people you hire. Hire for the personality and train for the job every time.
6. Tell us one fact about yourself others may not know.
SF: I ran five marathons in one calendar year. I never wanted to do a long training run so I just let the last marathon be my long run for the next marathon. That was on the bucket list. Now I just run for fitness and time for me.
