Over 50 volunteers, staff, program participants, donors and other stakeholders of the Meeting Waters YMCA recently gathered for the organization's annual Reflection & Renewal event. As part of the celebration, two annual awards were given out.

The Nathan G. Williams Award for Outstanding Volunteer Leadership was given to Rick Fleming and George Haynes, both of Brattleboro. The two have served for the past two years as Co-Chairs of the You Are Y Capital Campaign, the effort to develop a facility in Brattleboro from which the Meeting Waters YMCA can better serve the region. The award that recognizes significant volunteer contributions is named after the leader that was instrumental in founding the Bellows Falls YMCA, as it was then called, back in 1895. When presenting the awards, Executive Director Steve Fortier noted that Fleming and Haynes have brought the same level of vision, passion, and commitment to their efforts to expand the outreach and impact of the Meeting Waters YMCA.

Shellie Scism, also of Brattleboro, received this year's Red Triangle Award for Outstanding Staff Leadership. Scism is the Site Director of the Meeting Waters YMCA's ASPIRE program at Academy School. In giving out the award, Senior Program Director Sue Fortier noted Scism's commitment to creating an innovative, engaging curriculum that brings the YMCA mission to the ASPIRE kids and families each day.

Another highlight of the event was recognition of the seven ASPIRE participants whose artwork was chosen to be printed on holiday cards that are now for sale as a fundraiser for the Meeting Waters YMCA's Reach Out to Youth Scholarship Fund. In front of their families and the others at the gathering, the children were recognized for their accomplishment and thanked for their contribution to the Y's commitment that programs are accessible to all.

Sue Fortier, Meeting Waters YMCA's Senior Program Director, shared 'mission impact' stories to help those gathered understand just a few of the many ways the organization's mission, staff and programs are 'building strong kids, strong families and strong communities.' President Cyndi Cain Fitzgerald and Executive Director Steve Fortier spoke briefly about the organization's accomplishments in the year gone by and visions for the year ahead. Fortier noted that in the fiscal year that ended on August 31st, Meeting Waters YMCA served more people than in any of the 112 years since the organization's founding in 1895.

The Meeting Waters YMCA is a charitable, social service organization founded in 1895. Its programs take place at its facility in Bellows Falls, camp property in Springfield, and satellite sites in Brattleboro, Chester, Langdon and other communities. A capital campaign is now underway to develop a new facility in Brattleboro to better serve the youth and families in the southern part of the regional Y's service area. More information about Meeting Waters YMCA is available at their website at www.meetingwatersymca.org or by calling their office nearest you'Brattleboro: 246-1036; Bellows Falls: 463-4769; or Springfield: 885-8131.