For the last 18 years, the only YMCA in Fairfax County has celebrated its annual fundraising gala on the third Saturday in November. On November 18th 2017, it was once again a night to remember with 324 community leaders in attendance.
Executive Director Joseph Crawford, when asked what is the best part of the YMCA annual gala? He said in one clarifying word, “togetherness.” Crawford shared that together we are better as a community and that every year the YMCA works to have a true focus on service that is tied to our mission. If our cause is “strengthening community” and we do that one person at a time, then service is the vehicle that helps us do it. Hence, we feel that service is inextricably tied to our mission, and it has to be done from the heart.
This year the YMCA raised over $115,000 dollars at the annual gala in just one night. In addition, the volunteer board of directors, specifically Gala Co-Chairs, Sue Richey, Valerie Novak and Emcees Karen Cleveland and Hugh Taylor raised $46,705 in just 12 minutes when they made a charitable appeal to the crowd of 324 guests. The overwhelming YES resulted in $46,705 which will be used to send over 150 children to a week of summer camp in 2018 at YMCA Fairfax County Reston.
Another fun fact is that the YMCA Fairfax County Reston will be going through a capital “Rejuvenate Reston Y’ project in 2018 with Little Diversified Architectural Consulting and according to key volunteers and community leaders the multimillion dollar remodel will bring the Y into the 21st century to best serve Fairfax County.
2017 Award Winner Fun Facts
The Jim & Karen Cleveland Partnership Award was established in 2012 by the YMCA Fairfax County Reston to recognize exceptional leadership in bringing community organizations together to better achieve the common good.
2017 Recipient—Larry Butler
The Boofie O’Gorman Volunteer Service Award—The YMCA Fairfax County Reston Volunteer Service Award is presented to an individual or corporation for extraordinary commitment of time and resources to the fulfillment of the YMCA’s mission and capacity to serve the Reston community.
2017 Recipient- Kim Bailey Middleton
The Joseph L. Ritchey Community Service Award is presented to an individual for their outstanding service and dedication through generous contributions and commitment to the Reston community.
2017 Recipient- Delegate Ken Plum
