Monett capital campaign under way for new YMCA

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February 27, 2010

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Sat Feb 27, 2010, 09:15 PM CST

By Andy Ostmeyer

aostmeyer@joplinglobe.com

MONETT, Mo. — Several large donations have helped push the capital campaign for a new YMCA in Monett closer to reality.

“We are hopeful we will be able to finish fundraising this year,” said Gordon Brown, YMCA executive director. “We have set with the campaign a goal of at least $10 million.”

Earlier this month, Community National Bank and First State Bank each pledged $100,000. EFCO, the window company, pledged $250,000 and Architectural Systems Inc. has pledged $100,000, according to Brown.

The Fuldner Family Foundation pledged $3 million, with $2 million of that for the building and $1 million to create an endowment fund for the operation of the aquatic center that will be in the new Monett Area YMCA.

“That is kind of the centerpiece of the new facility,” Brown said. “The first thing people ask about is: ‘Will it have an indoor pool?’ ”

It will have an eight-lane competition pool and a warm-water family pool where classes and other activities also will be held.

Thanks in part to the endowment, the aquatic center for Monett will be larger than a town that size would normally have, Brown said.

Since 2004, the YMCA has operated out of Monett’s 70-year-old armory. Brown said every corner of the 10,000-square-foot building is now being used.

“The idea from the start was that this was a temporary facility,” Brown said.

The YMCA has about 3,000 members.

“It is beyond capacity,” Brown said of the current building.

The new building, which will be between 30,000 and 40,000 square feet, will be housed in Monett’s South Park, near the junction of U.S. Highway 60 and Missouri Highway 37.

“That’s ideal, because we operate many programs in the park already,” Brown said. It also will allow them to connect with the city’s trail network.

Brown said Friday he wasn’t ready to release the total pledged so far, but explained that there are other large pledges that donors didn’t want to make public. Anyone wanting to learn more or make a contribution can go online to www.yourmonettymca.org.

Travel time

Right now, the nearest indoor pool to Monett is in Neosho, said Gordon Brown, executive director of the Monett Area YMCA.

“It is a 45-minute drive away,” he said.

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Monett capital campaign under way for new YMCA

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

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