The boards of directors and trustees of the Missouri Valley Family YMCA in Bismarck have voted in favor of a $5.5 million, 27,000-square-foot expansion project to be built at the current location. The building will include a new gymnasium and expanded Life Center. The plan also includes substantial renovation of the existing facility. We are in the midst of a $2 million capital campaign to help fund this project and have already raised one-fourth of our goal. Virtually all 60 members of both boards have contributed.Â

I am excited to be one of the co-chairs for this capital campaign, along with Brenda Smith and Dr. Ernie Godfread. Our theme is "Building for Stronger Families and a Stronger Community."

My involvement with the Bismarck YMCA began back in 1979. Since that time, I have watched the Y grow and expand with the community and my family. My four children attended day care, learned to swim and to play basketball at the Y. We had some of their birthday parties there. We have taken classes in ballroom dancing, aerobics, yoga, spinning and weightlifting, and even ran a half marathon.

The Y, to me, is the community center for much of Bismarck. I have met many people there who've become good friends. While some people in the past have referred to the Y as a "private health club," many people do not know about the Y's many free programs for children and families, including the 800 children in the free learn-to-swim program, Splash Youth; free memberships for 1,200 youth from the community in grades K-6; scholarships for 350 needy families; 100 summer day camp scholarships; and child care assistance for 15 needy families.

In addition, the Y works with the United Way, the schools and the park district in after-school and other cooperative programs. Fourteen percent of the people of Bismarck-Mandan (more than one in eight) are Y users, which is three times the national average.Â

Bismarck has a wonderful quality of life, and I believe the YMCA is a big part of the reason. It warms my heart to see the little children in the activities of the state-certified day-care center, seniors exercising in the pool and families coming and going for youth basketball leagues or swim meets, or just to play in the gym or pool.

The way our community is growing, the directors of the Y board realize that the Y needs to take this important step in order to grow with the community. This expansion will create much needed space to allow for additional wellness programs and classes, enhancement of the ready-to- be-fit program, more and better senior activities, women's fitness, spinning classes and office space

The Y serves and welcomes people of all races, ages, religions, social and economic backgrounds and ethnic groups.

Â