Over 230 members and friends attended the YMCA of Talbot County’s 55th Annual Celebration at The Oaks. The crowd celebrated the YMCA’s achievements this year, which have included providing over $271,000 in financial assistance to 1900 local youth and families in need; raising $3.5 million in pledges toward a $5 million capital campaign to build a Teen and Family Center; and reaching nearly 12,000 members which represents one in three community members and serving one in two children in Talbot County through YMCA memberships and programs. According to F. Graham Lee, Chief Development Officer at the YMCA, “Our mission is NOT in recession.”

Ken Mann, outgoing Chief Volunteer Officer commented, “The YMCA is a place where a brilliant young CEO brings all his energy and enthusiasm and compassion to work each day and there he finds the financial resources, physical resources, and gift staff team with which to execute his vision. And that means the YMCA is a place where that family finds Camp Lazy Days standing with open arms to receive their special needs child and a personal trainer is eager to help that mom that rose at 5:30 this morning.” He added, “In turn, over time, these change seekers find that which they did not seek: they find peace, they find their special needs child can just have fun and be a kid, they find friendship, they find purpose, they find themselves.”