An Interview with Peter Kurshan, President of Ridgewood YMCA Board of Directors

Board of Directors President Peter Kurshan discusses the Ridgewood Y and its impact on the community. 

The Ridgewood Y has been part of the community since 1902. What makes the Y such a special place?

The Y is an incredible and expanding family of men, women and children from all walks of life. What it has to offer every person is special. The uniqueness of what the Y has to offer is amplified by the members of the Y community who come from different homes, backgrounds, and families. Each member or camper has a different reason for being part of the Y and for being on Oak Street or at Camp Bernie. Some use the pools, gymnasium or weight rooms while others use the camping facilities, hike or partake in arts and crafts. Yet, the “take away” is the same for each—members and campers feel healthy, they are happy and they gain confidence in themselves and connect with others. From the relationship that the Y has with its members and from the relationship that members have with the Y, the Y community thrives and grows. Members and campers not only enjoy the company of each other, but they encourage a positive environment for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. This is enhanced by the fact that membership is open to all. If someone cannot afford to join or cannot afford a program fee, appropriate arrangements are made. I am proud to be leading the Board of this organization.

How long have you been on the Ridgewood Y Board of Directors and what inspired you to join the board?

I joined the Board in 2006. My connection with the Y started when my wife Diane started swimming at the Y on a regular basis when we moved to the community in 1991. She would relate intriguing and fascinating stories told by and about the people she would meet and speak with while at the pools each morning, 6 days a week. This went on for years. Diane then gravitated to land based exercise, although she remains a member of the Y, she is a member of the Board and my two college aged children were also Board members while in high school. Several years later, I started swimming at the Y after a knee injury forced me into temporary retirement from running. I took to the pools on a daily basis. It was during those times that I was able to observe not only dozens of kids participating in swim team practice but Y members in the pool, some very early in the morning and some after 10 at night. The diversity of the members was just amazing. Everyone was content. They were doing activities at their own pace yet they all seemed to know the people around them. I expect this was because many have had the same routines for months or years. In fact, I am sure this was the case as I have since spoken to many members. I also had the opportunity to observe members with equally positive attitudes and approaches to life in the gym or in the weight room. My routine continued for a couple of years until I approached CEO Rick Claydon and asked to volunteer my time to work at the Y. That request led to a Board position. I am back to running and still swimming. I am probably in the building 4 days a week. 

What is the role of the Board of Directors at the Ridgewood Y and how do they contribute to community service?

The Board is uniquely positioned to guide and counsel the activities of the Y. I am fortunate to have and be able to work with an exceptional and diverse group of individuals including lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, accountants, educators, consultants and business people as members of the Board. Every single one of them is interested in and committed to the mission of the Y—to build healthy spirit, body and mind for all. The experience, background and education of the Board Members allows each of them to offer advice, review financial and operational results, consult and get involved with the activities of the Y on a daily basis, as needed, and on a long term or strategic planning basis. They are able to offer invaluable insight to Y managers.

Many people associate the Y with a gym and swim but it's obviously much more than that. What does the Y mean to you?

The Y is not just a facility. It is a family. The Y is a community. The Y can be tantamount to an extension of a member’s home. The Y is a place anyone can come and work to be better, healthier, stronger, both in body and mind. Character development, healthy living and social responsibility grow within the walls of the Y. I believe that “instant gratification” may have been “coined” at the Y as it certainly describes how some feel after each visit. The excitement of entering the Y is only exceeded by the contentment and happiness that usually describes a person exiting the Y. Consider the programs that the Y has to offer including academic enrichment classes; sports programs including swimming classes; camping; healthy living instruction including ballet; boot camp; spinning classes; karate; yoga; and Pilates. In addition to this you have Good Works Programs such as Living Strong, Living Well; Delay the Disease; Rainbows; Mentoring; World Service and training for young adults with Autism.
 

The Ridgewood Y has just launched its 2011 Annual Appeal campaign.  Can you tell us a bit about this campaign and why it’s important to the Y?  

The Campaign seeks to support those programs that are critical to the Y community and so greatly impact those served by the Y. These are the Good Works Programs—Living Strong, Living Well for cancer patients to maintain physical condition; Delay the Disease for persons with Parkinson’s Disease and an attempt by exercise to delay the progression of the disease; Rainbows, a peer support program for children who have experienced a painful family transition such as divorce or separation; Mentoring and World Service, which provides financial assistance to Y’s and non profits in the US and internationally. The Annual Campaign goal is $180,000, which is only a small fraction of the cost of maintaining these programs and providing access to these programs regardless of financial ability. In order to reach this fundraising goal, we must work hard to inspire others to support the Good Works Programs that provide so much to so many who need our help.