I know many of you, like me, were curious to see how the relationship between the city of Sammamish and the YMCA would work out.

I remember back in the ’90’s when other groups were trying to successfully implement a pool in our city. It just never happened. Finally, when this project was proposed, I was very happy to see follow through. Many people think Sammamish is not a city that needs help to provide services for our youth, seniors, schools and our special needs community, but that is not the case.

For many years I watched event after event raising money that got funneled everywhere but Sammamish. These groups would say, “There is no need, the money is better put to use in other communities,” but the YMCA has proven that good things happen when we link arms and work together.

Dave Mayer was here at the YMCA in Sammamish long before any ribbon cutting took place. He had worked previously as the director of the YMCA in Snoqualmie Valley, which is a smaller building, with no pool, but interestingly, has the highest member penetration rate of any branch in the country. Forty percent of the people in that area are connected with the YMCA.

Dave took his expertise and quickly put it into action here in Sammamish. Eighteen months before the YMCA opened, Dave helped oversee the construction and volunteer task force that helped make this complex a reality. Many supporters helped with personal funds and time. When you get a chance, check out the donor wall at the “Y”.” We have many heroes to thank for their generosity.

Dave said if you took the building and shook it upside down, spilling out all the contents, this pile of items would represent what the “Y” was responsible for getting in place before opening day. It is a very impressive facility with state-of-the-art equipment where the usage is regular and represents a very wide range of people.

You may wonder why I am writing about this, as my job is to write about the heroes of Sammamish, but as I learned more about how integrated this YMCA has become, I am sure that Dave is responsible for making the most of this situation. Dave knew everyone walking in and out as I interviewed him; all the employees, all the goings on in the facility and he is constantly looking to enlarge the impact the “Y” has in Sammamish.

I will give you some examples. Arbor School let the “Y” use space at their school in the summer for more classrooms needed for summer camps, and in return, Arbor School uses a few hours per week of gym space during the school time to run some physical education classes. I am one of those teachers, and it has worked out like a charm.

As I was meeting with the administrators, I recognized that Tavon Center was there, folding towels and doing some cleaning. This is a group of special needs adults who were there to volunteer in exchange for an occasional use of space for recreation.

Every high school on the plateau shares using the “Y” for swim practice, there are several instructors who come weekly or several times per week to teach classes in spinning, yoga, dance, Zumba and many other disciplines. There is a group of seniors who go out into the community together once per month in a van provided by the “Y,” and more classes are on the horizon for a partnership with Bellwood, a senior center on the plateau. There is also a book club, and other activities on the monthly calendar.

Dave said that one of the goals is to alleviate gaps in the community and help streamline duplicated services.

Did you know that there is a paid position at the “Y” for mental health services? This came back as a need in our community over and over again as they did studies, so Dave actually did something about the common issue and employed Alora to help in providing needed mental health services through camps, schools, individuals and others who might need access to her expertise.

All of this coordination requires someone who can look outside the box and make connections that help everyone in the long run. The YMCA has been a smashing success in Sammamish, largely due to the leadership of Dave Mayer, and for that we can all be grateful.

Amy McOmber is a 23-year resident of Sammamish.