Happy Birthday to the Y! 170 Years Young and Still Making a Difference

For Immediate Release

Happy Birthday to the Y! 170 Years Young and Still Making a Difference

[Miami Valley, June 06, 2014] June 6th marks the 170th anniversary of the Y - a global organization that began with a simple but powerful idea: a strong, supportive community can help people build healthier, happier lives. Since its founding, the Y has grown into one of the world’s largest volunteer organizations and become renowned for its commitment to helping people of every background reach their potential.

From its humble beginnings on June 6, 1844 in London by George Williams and 11 friends, the Y saw to and met the practical and spiritual needs of young men flocking to London during the Industrial Revolution. Since then, the Y has grown and changed, meeting the needs of children, families and adults in 10,000 communities in the U.S. and 119 countries around the globe. Along the way, the Y is responsible for a number of innovations that influenced history and are part of our daily lives.

For instance:
•    Basketball and volleyball were both invented at the Y.
•    Night school and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes began at the Y.
•    The world’s first indoor pool was at a Y, and the concept of group swim lessons started at the Y.
•    The United Service Organizations (USO) was created with help from the Y, and the Peace Corps was patterned after a Y program.
•    Father’s Day was created at a Y.

For over 140 years in the Miami Valley, the YMCA of Greater Dayton has been a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening our community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. We’ve help thousands of community members through local programs aimed at improving our neighborhoods and Y Family ties.

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About the Y

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,687 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. The YMCA of Greater Dayton was established in 1870 and now offers eleven locations throughout the Miami Valley. www.ymcaonline.org