This weekend let’s remember the men, women, and families of our armed forces and take the time to show our appreciation for their service and sacrifices that have guaranteed our independence and freedom.
The YMCA has a long history of service in the US military that began during the Civil War. Due in part to his work in support of the military in World War II, YMCA General Secretary John Mott won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. Our humanitarian efforts during World War II served nearly 6 million servicemen, spanning more than 36 countries. For more information on the Y and our history with the military, please watch this video.
Today, the Valley of the Sun YMCA continues on the long legacy of military support with almost 6,000 active, retired and veteran military members within our 15 branches.
Membership and program scholarships and subsidies are provided through a partnership with the Department of Defense and our annual campaign donations. In April of this year, Phoenix USAA employees held a bowl-a-thon to help support our military efforts and are helping to send over 150 military children to our summer camps! Being able to support this critical segment of the community is important to the Y. If you know of anyone that is/has served our country and want to connect them to the Y, please email military@vosymca.org.
A friendly reminder that in observance of the July 4th holiday, all 15 of our branches will be closed. Please be sure to download our mobile app to stay up-to-date on any modified program schedules and services throughout the weekend.