GIFTS FROM THE HEART
JOHN HAAKANSON has been using the Y for decades and knows the power of this community organization.
He lived across the street when he was 4 years old, and he and his daughter participated in infant-parent swim classes and his daughter played basketball through the Y. John himself relearned how to swim at the Eugene Y when he was an adult, and he now comes regularly to ride the bike and do strength workouts.
“I gravitated to the Y when I returned to Eugene in 1991,” he says. “The mission of the Y is evident. It brings families together and keeps people like me healthy!”
One of his fondest memories is of his daughter sinking 7 of 8 free throws at age 11 in the Y gym during one of her games.
“It was pure magic,” he says.
He donated to the Campaign for a New Y so that more families can experience the magic of the Y.
John’s sentiments are echoed by other donors:
RAINBOW VALLEY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION donated $25,000 to the project and secured the naming opportunity for the whirlpool in the new Y.
“We know intimately how flawed the current building is and yet the Y is able to do incredible work serving the community,” says YMCA Board Member Chip Radebaugh, General Manager and one of 9 partners at Rainbow Valley. “With a fully functioning, ADA-accessible, energy-efficient facility, the possibilities are endless. It is like we have been serving the community with one hand tied behind our back.”
