The Thomson Family Y will soon be calling on community members to help make a difference in someone’s life.
The annual Community Support Campaign has begun. The campaign seeks donations to help make the programs of the Family Y affordable and accessible to all. All procedes go directly to assist residents in McDuffie or Warren County.
Through its programs and services, the Family Y gives away more annually than is raised in this campaign.
“The Community Support Campaign makes such giving possible,” Christy Brown, a representative of the Family Y, said in a news release.
A pledge of $60 will provide a month of dance or gymnastics for one child; a donation of $165 will allow three children to learn karate; a larger donation of $480 will provide swimming lessons for eight children; and a $900 donation will send a child to day camp every day for one summer. All donations are tax-deductible.
“These are big benefits for the amount of money involved,” Brown said.
The Thomson Family Y has set a goal of $56,000 for this year. Kathy Usry, the 2012 campaign leader, said last year’s campaign raised $55,300.
The campaign officially started Tuesday, and employees of the Thomson Family Y will be hitting the streets to collect donations. Donations can also be mailed to Thomson Family Y, 510 Hill St., Thomson, GA 30824, in care of DeDe Keir. Checks can also be dropped off at the Thomson Family Y or the Y130 Center.
“Please keep in mind how important these donations are to extend the opportunity of a healthy lifestyle to so many individuals,” Brown said. “We hope that you will give generously.”
The Family Y will also hold fundraisers to help raise money for the campaign. There will be a bag lunch sale on March 9 in front of the Y130 on Main Street, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunches available are a hamburger with chips, a pickle and dessert or two hot dogs with chips, a pickle and dessert. Tickets for the lunch are $6 each and can be purchased ahead of time at the Thomson Family Y or at the Y130, but walk-ups are also welcome the day of the event.
The Family Y also will hold a silent auction March 22 at the Y130 on Main Street, featuring works from local artists in addition to furniture and other items.
“It’s only a three-week campaign, and we push a lot into those three weeks,” said Usry. “We’re contacting all of the previous donors, businesses and individuals. If they don’t contact us, we’ll contact them.”
Usry said they have had some very nice donations from local businesses and clubs in the past.
Usry said that for a donation of $250, a banner will be hung in the Family Y with the name of the person or the businesses and the logo.
“Whatever they want to go on it,” she said. “We have about a thousand people a day who go into the Y and who see these banners.”
Usry said they have 50 banners hanging already from last year. She said they are hoping all of those individuals or businesses will give that much again this year and keep the banners up.
“We appreciate the support we’ve had in the past,” Usry said. “And any donations made will stay in the area, it will not go to Augusta or to administrative costs. It all goes to scholarships at our Family Ys. If they are supporting our campaign they are supporting scholarships here at home.”
Usry said the scholarships offered by the Family Y only give up to 30 percent of the cost of an activity.
“For instance, if a child wants to take dance lessons, and they qualify for the scholarship, we provide 30 percent of the cost and they have to come up with the rest,” she said. “That way we can cover that many more people who might need assistance.”
