Before I turn to the report itself, please let me tell you that now for the sixth straight year, the Bolger Foundation has issued a challenge to provide a 1 for 2 $5,000 challenge gift. As usual, we must be successful in raising no less than $10,000 in our campaign. Every year we come close, but in the end exceed this total. In the last two years, we raised $16,600 and $17,100, respectively. This year, more than ever, we need to do it again.

Our tremendous success in helping our partners in Haiti and Senegal, in particular, and in continuing to support the YMCA of the USA’s efforts with a $3,500 annual contribution towards international efforts, requires an even bigger fund-raising effort.

Haiti
Haiti continues to be the absolute neediest of all nations in our entire hemisphere. The YMCA d’Haiti was started in 2001. We first started partnering with this fledgling YMCA in 2003. It now has three full branches. This year, for the sixth year, the Ridgewood YMCA provided support to their summer soccer program. Our support in the early years consisted primarily of financial contributions, and sometimes shipping shirts, soccer balls, and equipment to Haiti. Last year, in addition to our contributions, we sent two soccer coaches. Jim Delia, a member of our World Service Committee and a member of the YMCA Board of Directors, as well as an attorney at Wells, Jaworski & Liebman in Paramus, was the key guy last year, and this year, he headed up the whole program, staying in Haiti for two full weeks. What a contribution! This year’s camp was held at two locations. The first week was at Camp Perrin, the second week at Kenscoff in a brand new YMCA, which we helped start up. This year we saw separate teams from each of the YMCA branches, Camp Perrin, Kenscoff and Port au Prince, and finally, by the end of the second week, selection of the first ever, National Soccer team of the YMCA d’Haiti. This is the first team ever advanced by an NGO. More good news is that in its first games against outside teams, the new national team swept! I will stop talking and show you some pictures so that you can get a feeling for the fantastic effort, and the great results.

International Camping Program (ICP)
Our International Camping Program has sent more than 300 campers to Kenya, Senegal, Dominican Republic, and for 10 straight years to Mexico. Campers (and their families) who pay substantial fees to participate in the camp, nonetheless, spend most of the camp experience on a service learning project. Our committee supports many campers with scholarships. In Mexico, campers build 10 x 20 cinder block houses. In Senegal, they work on reforestation projects, and YMCA buildings. These programs have been amongst the most extraordinary ways that we know of bringing the lessons of international travel, and the perspectives that only visiting a developing nation (with so much profound poverty) can bring to our young people. This year, with the border troubles in Mexico, and the general effect of the recession on more expensive campership programs this spring, we were not successful in putting together any of our ICP trips. In typical years, we send out as many as 25 or 30 young people. This was very disappointing, and the World Service Committee is absolutely committed to redoubling our efforts to put the ICP back into full swing in 2010.

We Need Your Help
Our World Service Committee budget has been $20,000 for the last five years. A significant portion of this budget comes from personal donations by our Board of Directors and Trustees and from fund raising events held throughout the year. Considering the economic environment, we anticipate fewer donations from the fundraising events.

With our increased efforts in Haiti, we need to increase our overall budget to $22,000. This means $20,000 must come through this appeal. As I said at the outset, the Bolger Foundation has committed $5,000 as long as we raise at least $10,000. Since we have exceeded this amount in the past, we need to make a goal to exceed it by even more this year, and raise $15,000 beyond the Bolger gift.

Please take a minute to think about the very real needs of the people in the YMCAs we support, in particular, our Haiti project, but also Senegal, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, and of our own young people taking the time to toil in the summer sun trying to make a difference. The YMCA does so many good things in our community, but this is an area where the YMCA family reaches out from our community to the rest of the world.

We so much appreciate the generosity of our donors each year, and encourage you once again to do your part.

Thank You,
Thomas M. Wells

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