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New Ken, Kiski Y's near merger
In fact, at an annual meeting of directors, staff, volunteers and donors in Lower Burrell, the only obvious sign of discontent of any kind was that no one inside the Hill Crest Country Club dining room knew the outcome of the Pitt basketball game.
The mood remained jubilant, even though Pitt fans were doomed for disappointment.
"The future of the YMCA is bright," said outgoing New Kensington YMCA Board President Kevin Bode.
About five months after the two branches announced the possibility of a merger, the move is all but final.
New Kensington Executive Director Jacques Shilling, who also has been serving as Kiski Valley's interim director since the November resignation of Ginger Fox, indicated board members at the two branches approved the consolidation.
Once YMCA members approve the plan, the merger will be finalized. Members are expected to vote within the next two months.
"This is not something we took lightly," Bode said of the process that began about four years ago.
Originally, the two branches were involved in a consolidation study with the Allegheny Valley YMCA in Harrison and the Armstrong County YMCA in Kittanning. Allegheny Valley directors voted against the merger last summer.
But since the failure of the first proposal, the New Kensington and Kiski Valley Ys have continued to study the feasibility of consolidating. The Kiski Valley YMCA is in Allegheny Township.
"In order to serve the mission of the Y in our two communities, this is what we had to do," Bode said.
"Consolidation gives us the ability to be more efficient and have a bigger and more positive impact," said Kiski Valley YMCA President Howard Baybrook.
Officials indicated the merger would allow the two branches to share charitable resources, consolidate staff and volunteers and look into joint purchasing.
At Thursday's banquet, newly appointed New Kensington YMCA President Dr. Michael Contes said the hard work of joining the two branches is far from over, but said he was confident the merger will succeed.
"We have a great future ahead of us, if we keep our nose to the grindstone," he said.
Guest speaker Ed Munster, the executive vice president of the Metropolitan YMCA of Atlanta, also encouraged the branches and lauded their efforts. Although facing different circumstances, the Atlanta YMCA consists of 21 branches that began consolidating in the late 1980s.
Munster said merging operations can help balance out funding disparities among branches.
"This is the future for the Y to succeed," he said.
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