For nearly 70 years, the
Melrose YMCA has served as a unique and diverse gathering spot within the
Walnut Hills community.
“It has been very inclusive,” says Connie Springer, YMCA member and volunteer. “We call it one of the most diverse Ys in the city, because for people of all socioeconomic levels and colors, it’s very welcoming, incredibly friendly, and a lot of people have been members for like 40 years.”
There’s a history at the Melrose YMCA, and that’s why Springer says she joined together with other Y members to host Community Day Celebration last month.
For Springer, celebrating the Melrose YMCA is important because earlier in the year, its place in the community was in danger.
“It was part of a nationwide plan to close Ys, and we were on the chopping block,” Springer says.
Notifications were sent to members that hours of operation were soon to be shortened, but for Springer and other faithful members, reduced hours were not an option.
“I was part of a committee of six working to make people aware of how important the Y is and what a community asset it is in Walnut Hills,” Springer says. “And we just persevered. The six of us, and eventually others who felt strongly about keeping the Y together—half a dozen or so other people—we just worked really hard to have the hours extended and to tell the community about the Y.”
Springer’s work, however, is not done. The ultimate goal, she says, is to continue to increase awareness through events like last month’s Community Day Celebration so that more people can engage with members of their communities in a safe and vibrant location.
“People have raised their families at the Y, different generations have learned to swim there. It’s been a really important part of people’s lives,” Springer says. “And the people are so friendly—it’s really unusual I think. You really develop friendships and a sense of community when you go there. On a day-to-day basis, you just feel welcome, and there’s camaraderie.”
Do Good:
• Learn about
memberships, and consider supporting the YMCA by joining.
• Support the Melrose YMCA by utilizing the space and participating in the programs offered.
•
Volunteer at the YMCA.
By Brittany York
Brittany York is a professor of English composition at both the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.