LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 29, 2016) – The Messer Construction Foundation presented a $25,000 grant to the YMCA of Central Kentucky to expand the outdoor pavilion at the C.M. Gatton Beaumont YMCA. The foundation donates four $25,000 grants each year to organizations that exemplify the grant’s three desired principles; workforce development, education and economic inclusion.
“At Messer we make sure that we’re focusing on providing quality lives for our customers, our employees and our community,” said Mark Hill, operations vice president at Messer. “One way we are able to do that is by giving our time and giving our dollars to great organizations like the YMCA of Central Kentucky.”
Hill shared his personal appreciation for the Y, which began when he first moved to Lexington in 1987. He said the Y was the first organization his family joined, and it helped integrate them into the community.
“The YMCA of Central Kentucky is instrumental in making sure that the families of our community lead healthy lives, and we are very excited to be supporting that,” said Hill, who then presented the $25,000 grant to YMCA of Central Kentucky President and CEO David Martorano under the Gatton Beaumont Y pavilion on Thursday, Sept. 15.
The Y’s afterschool and summer camp programs support education by encompassing strong academic and enrichment activities. The Open Doors Financial Assistance Program supports economic inclusion by never turning anyone away due to inability to pay, and the Y’s afterschool programs support workforce development by allowing parents to be proactive at work knowing their children are in qualified hands.
Currently an average of 200 children per week participate in the Beaumont Y’s afterschool program during the school year and camp program in the summer. The expanded outdoor pavilion will help reduce overcrowding to the indoor multi-purpose room and gymnasium.
The land where the addition will be built will first be leveled and the concrete slab will be poured. Since there is no need to add additional restrooms or plumbing for water faucets, the framework and roofing should go up quickly. The last step will be installation of electrical wiring for lighting and fans.
“It means a great deal to me that the Messer Foundation was able to support our vision to expand this facility,” said Mike Wedding, senior project executive at Messer and chair of the C.M. Gatton Beaumont YMCA board. “The expanded facility is going to provide opportunities for at least 200 more campers so they can take part in the academic and enrichment programs that they need to be successful.”
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