It has been a difficult year for the North Central Florida YMCA in Gainesville with near bankruptcy and the sudden resignation in September of its executive director.
So Saturday’s End of the Year Celebration — with games, animals, trapeze artists and Star Wars stormtroopers — was a chance to breathe a sigh of relief and to welcome in what it hopes will be a more stable 2018.
“It’s a way for us to let everybody in the community know that we are here — something we can do to give back to the community,” said Interim Executive Director Steven Szanca. “We’re moving in a new direction. We’ve had a lot of changes recently. A year ago this time we were essentially closing. But we have a lot going on and I’m really excited about it.”
The doors have remained open thanks to a big fund-raising drive that brought in enough money to pay off the Y’s $1.2 million debt.
Saturday’s celebration featured pony rides, goats and sheep to feed and pet, rides on a tractor-pulled train and a trapeze show. Roaming around were members of the 501st Legion, a worldwide charitable organization whose participants dress in Star Wars costumes and interact with the crowd.
The Legion’s presence was especially timely given that the latest Star Wars movie recently opened in theaters.
“We have members all over the world. We have a group here — Gainesville, Tallahassee and Jacksonville is all one big group,” said Gainesville’s Kim Taylor. “Anybody who asks us to appear for a charity event, if there is availability, we will.”
Added Rick Smith of Ocala, “We take pictures with people, make kids happy, scare them a little bit.”
Sure enough, some toddlers shrieked with fear as characters moved close, but a much more common response was smiles.
Penned goats and a lone sheep also drew smiles as kids enjoyed feeding them pellets.
Several people in the crowd said they had not been to the YMCA, at 5201 NW 34th Blvd., before. After enjoying the celebration, some said that Saturday’s visit may not be their last.
“This week, everybody is home with the kids looking for stuff to do, so this is perfect,” said Rebecca Willcocks. “With the pool and swim lessons. I think we might get more involved.”
January would be a good time to save some money in becoming a member. Szanca said the usual sign-up fee of $50 will instead be a $1 for each day of the date on which enrollment begins — $2 for Jan. 2, $3 for Jan. 3 and so on through the end of the month.