Clinton County Family YMCA is excited to announce a brand new name, branding, and logo as they set themselves up for a successful future. Beginning January 1, 2023, the Clinton County Family YMCA will become CORE Community Center.
“After almost 30 years of partnership with the national YMCA organization, we feel it is in our best interest to step away from the charter and move forward as a standalone organization,” shared Pat Day, board president. “While the Y offers us many opportunities for structure, organizational expectation, and certification options, we believe that we can better meet evolving community needs without being confined to a set system and extensive restrictions in our operations. In addition, the charter requires an immense financial obligation that we would rather be able to put toward ongoing operations and continued center needs.”
The Board of Directors recently voted to step away from the YMCA licensing partnership and move forward as a standalone community center in August 2022. Here is their statement:
“As a community pillar in Clinton County, we take pride in the programs and services that we offer to many families throughout the local area. As a board of directors, we are consistently committed to looking toward the future of this organization and attempting to continue to evolve toward the growth we see happening in our community. In addition, we want to continue to address the ever-changing needs of the families and individuals we serve.
With that being said, the Clinton County Family YMCA is preparing for a branding change that will take place in early 2023. With this change, the programs and services will remain the same; however, the manner with which the organization manages and provides structure around these programs and services will have a new and refreshed presence that will position us in a better financial and operational position for the future of this community. We remain committed to our members, their families, and the community. The core of our organization remains founded and grounded on the same Christian and moral code; however, we do believe this refreshed look and feel will provide us with a path forward.”
“This process has not been taken lightly, and is something for which my staff and I have done immense research and information gathering in the local community and tied to our strategic vision for the future,” shared Stephanie Cooper, CEO. “As I settled into my role, I continued to face challenges in meeting what our members and community needed while still remaining within charter certification requirements. In addition, the financial commitment is extensive for the size of our center, and we felt it was best to examine what the future looked like without the charter. I am thankful for a board that was willing to take a look and see what this shift could do for our community and our organization.”
It is important to note that nothing changes from an operational or membership standpoint. All memberships will continue to be honored with the same fee structure. All programs remain intact. The only thing members can expect is an updated key card, which will be made available on their first visit following the change on January 1.
Following CORE on social media will allow you to stay up to date on the full reveal of updates as well as the launch of a brand new website, signage, and more. Branding consultation as well as overall transition consulting was provided by Vice President of the Board and Marketing Strategist Krista Stillwell, owner of Stillwell+Co, and legal counsel was provided by Miriam Robeson, agriculture and non-profit attorney of Harmon Robeson Law. Board committees have been working diligently to oversee the transition of by-laws, governance, and additional measures as this new chapter is opened. Board members include President Pat Day, Treasurer Mike Bruton, Secretary Kimberly Black, Joe Hilgenhold, Josh Kline, Steve Allen, Craig Mundell, Jill Garrison, Paul Schutte, Adam Krol, and Isac Chavez.
In the new year, a ribbon cutting and grand re-opening ceremony will take place where the public will be invited to join the team for celebration. Information related to this event will be announced very soon.