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Thomas E. Hill has seen a lot of changes to the YMCA of Talbot County over his lifetime.

Born and raised in Talbot County, Tom is the managing director of the Hill Group, a financial advising team at the local branch of Citi Smith Barney in Easton. He has been employed in the industry for more than 40 years.

Tom started visiting the YMCA in his early teens, when it was located in the old Calvary Methodist Church on Washington Street in Easton, where Safeway is today. He enjoyed playing basketball with his high school friends and once in a while, he would enjoy ping pong. “”I didn’t know that much about the Y,”” said Hill, “”all I knew was, that’s where you went to play ball. It was the best thing we had in 1955.””

In the late 1960’s, Tom came back to Easton to work and was asked to be on the Y Board. “”I can still remember the lady who asked me to be on the Board, Mrs. Nettie Jones’ secretary, Mary Strong,”” smiles Tom, “”no one had ever invited me to be on a board before and I guess that was the beginning of my adult interest in the Y.”” He became the Board president in 1972 and has always loved the YMCA, recognizing what it has done for our community.

Last summer, Blenda Armistead, YMCA Financial Development Committee chair, asked Tom to be general chair of the capital campaign. “” I just couldn’t say no,”” Hill said, “”it’s something I really wanted to do for this community. The Y is busting at the seams and we’ve got to have more space for programs for our kids, families and seniors. We just have to do this capital campaign.””

He adds, “There are a lot of kids in our community, just like I was fifty years ago, who are looking for a place to go and they end up at the Y. Maybe they don’t play basketball, but they lift weights or go swimming, jump rope or participate in summer camps. It’s a place where people can go and find a supportive structure so they can do their thing. I’m really looking forward to seeing the new Family and Teen Center and how it will impact the lives of kids, families and seniors. It literally is a place to meet with your friends.””

“”This is an exciting time to be a member of the Y,”” says F. Graham Lee, Chief Development Officer of the YMCA of Talbot County. “”Because we have had so many people asking about our Capital Campaign, Robbie Gill, CEO, has created a PowerPoint presentation to share with civic clubs and community organizations.””

To schedule a presentation, call (410) 822-0566 extension 34 or visit the YMCA web site at www.talbotymca.org to learn about programs provided to the community.

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