North Suburban YMCA receives money from Ruth Schultz Bright Days Fund to enhance its gymnastics program

The North Suburban YMCA received funding from the Ruth Schultz Bright Days (RSBD) Fund to further advance its Y gymnastics program.

According to a news release, the RSBD fund was created in 2018 in honor of Howard Schultz’s years of service as President/CEO of the North Suburban YMCA (NSYMCA). This fund’s mission is to help enhance positive experiences for youth in athletics, camps, special needs, and other programs. It supports and promotes new skills, enjoyment, health, community involvement, and leadership development.

The RSBD fund along with an additional grant from the CIVIC Foundation in Northbrook, allowed the Y to purchase an inflatable air bag that will aid in the development of new and higher level skills within their gymnastics, special needs and camp programs, the release said.

The air bag is not only more hygienic than the traditional foam pit, but acts as a forgiving landing surface to help prevent injury, according to the release. The equipment is also portable which will allow the Y to use this equipment anywhere, allowing them to expand their program offerings to classes like tumbling, cheerleading and acro dance.

“I am so proud of the Ruth Schultz Bright Day Fund and thrilled to see how much it has helped youth athletics change and thrive at the NSYMCA,” Howard Schultz, retired President/CEO of the NSYMCA, said in the release. “We hope to continue to grow this fund so we can continue to increase physical activity for youth while taking advantage of the other benefits, such as learning, accountability, dedication, and leadership that sports can offer.”

In the past, the RSBD fund helped grow programs by funding equipment for volleyball, staff training for Acro dance, a collapsible tumbling track for their gymnastics program and supported Y summer camp by bring new and innovative sports games such as Drive N Dunk, Tribound Ball, NitroBall, Stick 360, Soccetball, Angelball, and Soft-Stix Cricket, the release said.

“Y Programs such as our middle school developmental volleyball, tumbling, acro and sports camps have enhanced over the years thanks to funding from the Ruth Schultz Bright Days Fund,” Debbie Madeley, Director of Development at the NSYMCA, said. “The RSBD Fund’s mission is to bring a developmental noncompetitive atmosphere to sports that includes both exercise and socialization for youth of all ages, in particular middles school,” continues Madeley. “The RSBD fund has provided our Y much needed equipment making it possible to expand our offerings”

Each year, the Ruth Schultz Bright Days Fund invites Y program directors the opportunity to request up to 10% of the fund to support the creation or enhancement of a program that meets the directives of the fund, according to the release. Each spring, around Mother’s Day and Ruth Schultz’s Birthday (date), a fundraiser is held to add to the fund, though donations are accepted throughout the year. If you’d like to make a donation to the fund, please contact Debbie Madeley at dmadeley@nsymca.org, or visit nsymca.org/give/memorial funds.

To learn more about the NSYMCA programs visit www.nsyma.org or email hbusch@nsymca.org.