Morrow County YMCA

	Morrow County Community Center

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How a Dream Became Reality

The Dream

The idea of promoting the Morrow County Community Center came about after a county long range planning study named a recreational community center as a primary need for the county. Recreational facilities exist in surrounding areas, but are not present in Morrow County. In particular, the county lacks an indoor pool and other recreational facilities that can be used during winter months.

The dream was a facility in Morrow County where families and persons of all ages could come together: a community facilitiy that not only provides recreational opportunities, but also a place where human services such as teen leadership opportunities, parenting classes, and social opportunties for seniors could be provided.

Step 1

The Morrow County United Way Board conducted a survey of 24 community leaders and distributed a similar survey to 5,500 Morrow County residents. Support for a community center was very positive with the largest number of respondents interested in swimming, basketball, gymnastics, and an indoor exercise facility for youth and adults.

Step 2

The feasiblity study conducted by the national YMCA revealed that there was more than sufficient support for a YMCA facility in Morrow County. In addition to examining the number of Morrow County residents traveling to already existing YMCA facilities in Marion, Galion, and Mt. Vernon, the study looked at the level of community support for already existing YMCA services in Morrow County. For example, the study revealed strong support for a childcare facility that the Galion YMCA runs in Mt. Gilead.

Step 3

The Founders Campaign raised the funds necessary to operate the YMCA in Morrow County for three years. In addition the campaign measured the level of community suport for a YMCA in Morrow County, and found that there was strong financial support for a Y in Morrow County. In November of 2007 a storefront YMCA opened in Mt Gilead, utilizing the funds from the Founders Campaign to subsidize the cost of ongoing operations and the intial start-up costs of opening a new facility.

As of January 1, 2012, the institution is no longer affiliated with the YMCA, but is now the Morrow County Community Center