photo by steed media service

The YMCA is the cornerstone of many of the nation’s communities. The Y, as it is affectionately called, enables young people to flourish to their fullest potential while helping to build stronger families. As executive director for the West Orem YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of Greater Houston, Kelly Raglin continues the organization’s fine work by applying endless amounts of time and effort to make the facility accessible to the entire Houston area.

“My job is to really build the YMCA and when I say, ‘build’ that means building relationships and collaborative partners, mostly [by] getting out in the community, and getting to be well-known in the community [through our] programs,” says Raglin.

With a $7 million facility that boasts a lap pool, sports fields, wellness facility, gymnasium, group exercise and community rooms, and a facility called Child Watch, which serves as a day care for the adult exercise sessions, the West Orem YMCA gives everyone an opportunity to grow. And with its recently acquired endowment for aquatics, the Y is offering swimming lessons to the community.

“We feel that’s important, to make sure we’re giving away swimming lessons or at least giving the ability to take swimming lessons, even though people may not be able to afford to pay for swimming lessons. That’s the mission for the YMCA; we don’t refuse anyone the ability to participate regardless of the inability to pay,” says Raglin. - jason thompson

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