Field of Dreams
A YMCA seeks to renovate and upgrade its rundown and unsafe sports fields to make them safer and more accessible for the children and other community members who use them, so it can continue to run sports leagues, summer camps and other programs that are vital to the community.
Why It Matters
There are over 3,000 children/year that wouldn't have access to outdoor team sports or summer day camp without these fields. Through updates to these fields, the facility would finally have proper safety fencing around the fields, on-site bathrooms, running water and proper drainage. Due to COVID, the facility’s operating income was reduced by $750,000 preventing the ‘Y’ from making some of the necessary upgrades.
The Impact
“I have worked for many Y’s in my 25 years, what is so unique about the Jeep Rogers YMCA is we serves a very large number of military families due to our proximity to Fort Jackson and Shaw Air force Base,” said project nominator and Jeep Rogers YMCA’s VP of Operations, Jeff Casey. “These families may only be in Columbia for six months to three years, but they need the services the YMCA provides. Our summer day camp and youth sports leagues are entry points for military families to join the Columbia community. Without our sports fields, we could not provide these vital services. Our sports fields allow military children to join teams, make friends, and connect to Columbia.”
Our sports fields allow military children to join teams, make friends, and connect to Columbia.
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