Family YMCA 'Cleans Up' With Riverside County Saturday
Twenty environmentally-conscious YMCA teens, ages 15 through 17 years old, will be participating in a "Clean Money Fundraising Opportunity" this weekend, on Saturday, Oct. 4. The kids, along with two YMCA staff supervisors, will meet at a designated location in Thousand Palms, and they will receive their marching orders from coordinators with regard to specific areas in need of tidying up. Clean up will take place for four hours, from 7 – 11 a.m.
The project is made possible by sponsorship from Riverside County 4 th District Supervisor Roy Wilson, Burrtec Industries, Inc., Riverside County Environmental Health, and Riverside County Code Enforcement. Participating youth organizations who qualify with 501(c)(3) non profit status, and who are in need of funding, will not only be helping the environment, but also will be eligible to earn up to $2000 for the day’s efforts, which will benefit their organizational programs.
There will be a series of scheduled clean up days throughout fall, 2008, and spring, 2009, with the first taking place this Saturday. Clean ups will focus on the communities of Thousand Palms, Desert Edge, Sky Valley, and Indio Hills. Each youth organization may apply to participate in up to three cleanups per year. Safety training is mandatory for all team leaders and is being conducted by the County of Riverside prior to each clean up day.
Clean up duties will involve picking up trash and debris, and youth will be equipped with gloves, trash bags, trash pickers, and vests. Children and teens between the ages of 11 and 17 years old are able to participate, however kids under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
For questions or more information about the Clean Money Fundraising Opportunity, please contact Betty Sanchez with the Riverside County Transportation & Land Management Agency at 760-343-4636 or besanche@rctlma.org. For additional information about the Family YMCA’s participation, please contact Alison Elsner at 760-413-5053 or aelsner@desertymca.org.
FAMILY YMCA OF THE DESERT:
The Family YMCA is the largest provider of licensed childcare in the valley, with facilities from Palm Springs to Thermal, having celebrated its 25 th Anniversary in the desert last year. Nearly 1700 kids and families each day are served at twenty-nine sites, with many opportunities in youth and family programming. The primary focus of the Family YMCA is to reinforce caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility while allowing kids to develop social skills, confidence, leadership, and fitness.
The Family YMCA is excited to be part of the national YMCA’s "American on the Move / Activate America" initiative which strives to collaborate with community organizations to help families live healthier lifestyles and focus on health and wellness.
During the past two years, special partnerships between the Family YMCA and various local elementary and middle schools within Palm Springs Unified and Desert Sands Unified School Districts were launched to provide free, on-site after school care as part of the state of California’s recently enacted Proposition 49 / After School Education and Safety (ASES) Act.
Programming at both the Palm Desert and the Palm Springs YMCA locations includes after-school care, fitness center, dance and performing arts, walking and running clubs, graphic arts and computers, basketball and flag football, sports, and fitness, youth and government, karate, gymnastics, senior activities, swimming, and Y Rookies Sports Leagues. The Palm Springs YMCA opened in January, 2004, after transitioning from the Palm Springs Youth Center, and now offers a full variety of programs for children, teens, adults, and seniors.
The Family YMCA of the Desert conducts an annual fund-raising campaign to support its financial assistance programs, making YMCA activities accessible to everyone. In 2007, funds raised reached over $500,000 through overwhelming community support. Major YMCA events throughout the year to support programs, childcare, and financial assistance include: the Desert Bicycle Giveaway, an annual YMCA Golf Tournament, and the Hoedown at Sundown.
More than one third of the children participating in the YMCA of the Desert programs receive financial assistance, making community support a vital element in the ability to offer help to kids and their families. No child or family will be denied services because of an inability to pay.
Van Tanner (President, Desert Empire Insurance Services, Inc.) serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Family YMCA of the Desert, and Rob Ballew is the YMCA’s valley-wide Executive Director and C.E.O.
Congresswoman Mary Bono (45th district, California) serves as the Honorary Chair. The Board’s current emphasis is on continuing and growing childcare and development of a programming at the Palm Desert and Palm Springs YMCAs.
The Family YMCA of the Desert is one of 2500 YMCA'S nationwide, all of whom work towards building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities. For more information please visit: http://www.desertymca.org.
The Family YMCA of the Desert has two primary locations:
Palm Desert / Administrative Offices: Palm Springs:
43-930 San Pablo Av. 3601 E. Mesquite Av.
Palm Desert, CA. 92260 Palm Springs, CA. 92264
760-341-9622-phone 760-320-6430-phone
For more information regarding YMCA events, activity programs, fundraising, or volunteer opportunities contact Alison Elsner at 760-320-6430-work, 760-413-5053-cell, or aelsner@desertymca.org.