Dear Board Members:
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Since early Fall of 2024, a committee of Board members has met every two weeks to work on updating our organization’s Strategic Plan for implementation over the next several years. This something that we necessarily put off during the “Covid-19 years” as making broad plans for the future is especially challenging, if not impossible, when in crisis mode for an extended period.
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But now – and since last September – the committee and I have been recurrently considering the future direction of the YMCA of MEWSA. Our data collection has been enlightening and our planning retreats – both for Staff and Board members – have been beneficial not only in developing the plan but simply by gathering in person, which further unites our staff and volunteers. We have learned much more about ourselves in this new environment post-Covid, our community’s current needs, and have discovered new challenges and opportunities.
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While the Strategic Plan is still under development, one issue has become very clear; the need for community building and further developing the services we offer in the communities we serve. Our newly revised Strategic Plan will serve as a guidepost for tackling issues and continuing to build on our success, but it will also take our focus and a determination to work together. We, as an organization, have the unique potential—based the community’s trust in our leadership — to be a catalyst for positive change for all.
Keeping this potential in mind is especially relevant as we gear up for the Annual Support Campaign this March and Annual Dinner in May. This year’s Dinner theme is “Catalyst for Change” and we will celebrate this year’s outstanding honorees including John P. Dowd with the Charles S. Edgar Memorial Award, Rekha Parthasarathy, with the Barnes Community Champion Award, and Costello-Runyon Funeral Homes and the Costello Family with the Community Partner Award. Please join us on May 8 at The Pines Manor as we celebrate their achievements and continue building a stronger, more connected community together!
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