McGaw YMCA’s recent Gala was filled with elected representatives, business CEOs, education leaders, and prominent philanthropists. But most would agree that the person who made the biggest impression on the evening was actually the youngest.
Twelve-year-old Diesel Armstrong, together with his mom, Cyndi, and his mentor John Wylie, sat with dignitaries including Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl. As they ate their chocolate bundtinis, they watched a video about Diesel and the positive impact McGaw YMCA has had on his life.
“Being seated with the stars of the video,” says Mayor Tisdahl, “this young man and his mother who found the YMCA programs to be a life-changing experience, reminded me of the myriad reasons to support the Y.”
Indeed, from the time Diesel was a toddler, McGaw YMCA has been an integral part of his life. Day care at the Children’s Center introduced essential building blocks of learning crucial to future school success, and summer escapes to Camp Echo instilled self-confidence and broadened his world. Now that Diesel is in middle school, he spends time in MetaMedia, McGaw YMCA’s free digital media lab that offers youth a safe place to be creative while gaining skills in technology, science, and the arts.
Arguably the most important McGaw YMCA-related influence was sitting next to Diesel at the Gala. John Wylie, a Northwestern University student, Children’s Center alum and Camp Echo counselor, is Diesel’s mentor through the McGaw YMCA’s Project SOAR. Diesel said when he learned John would spend two hours each week with him, “I just jumped around I was so happy.”
“The Y is crucial to what I’ve become,” John says. “I want to show Diesel that the Y is a place that you can continue to grow up with, that the Y will always be there for him.”
McGaw YMCA is “there” for hundreds of children and youth each day, providing education and leadership programs through more than a dozen free programs. This year’s Gala, held Jan. 23, raised a record-breaking $230,000 to support these programs thanks to the generosity of more than 400 attendees and dozens of sponsors, including presenting sponsor Northwestern University.
“To me the most important thing about the Y Gala is that it’s a cross section of so many wonderful things about Evanston,” says Joe Flanagan, former McGaw YMCA board member and President & CEO of Acquirent. “You’ve got the university represented, the high school, grade schools, all the political forces, not-for-profits, everybody mixing it up. It is one of the few nights a year where there’s that kind of interaction.”
The night was particularly special to Lynn Ryan, who sponsored the event with her husband, Jay Ryan, and also chaired the Gala planning committee. This was her fourth year leading the group of volunteers, and her seventh in total. Ryan credited her committee for the event’s success, particularly for their efforts in garnering donations for a silent auction made even more popular because it was, for the first time, available online.
“I’m so fortunate to be part of a community that thinks beyond their own four walls,” she says. “My dad would always tell me to surround yourself with good people, and that’s what I did on this committee!”
Over time, Lynn trimmed what was once a committee of almost two dozen to seven dedicated volunteers. Committee members say Lynn made sure to keep meetings quick and delegated tasks clear, and everyone stayed focused on what was most important: McGaw YMCA and its community-building work.
“There’s no other place more important in Evanston than McGaw,” says Leslie Luning. “This is my family’s home away from home, so it’s really a pleasure to do this.”
During the Gala, committee members noted a palpable energy focused on making a difference for community youth. Funds raised will be used to continue and even expand life-changing youth programs, including the summer learning program Y Readers, the high school mentoring program Y Achievers and the essential safety skills gained through swim lessons and Evanston Swims!
Committee member Sue Patel says attendees got the message: “I will remember the people who cried at my table at the Gala because of the stories that were told. They cried because they were so touched.”
Diesel’s moving video, produced by Media for Social Change, was created with the help of MetaMedia youth production assistant Antonio Garcia. The 7th grader discovered MetaMedia last summer and has since created and edited his own films with the help of MetaMedia staff. Antonio was selected to help during the entire day of filming, and witness first-hand what it takes to have a career in film making.
As MetaMedia lead donor Penny Sebring puts it, “The MetaMedia kids are not only learning new skills, they are learning to appreciate each other and work together while having fun. All of this helps them build the foundation for becoming successful adults.”
By giving youth opportunities to develop and grow, McGaw YMCA strengthens the entire community. Cyndi Armstrong, Diesel’s mom, couldn’t have said it better: “McGaw is a place where you can go to grow and learn. It’s not just a place to play. The Y changes lives, every day.”
