YMCA merger successful

More places for Volusia County fmembers to go

By Jennifer Horton
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jun 20, 2009 - 4:39:22pm

Several months ago, east side met west side, when the West Volusia YMCA and the Greater Daytona YMCA merged to form the Volusia/Flagler YMCA.

Members' cards can now be used at eight YMCAs.

Jonathan Giles, vice president of marketing and development for the new, larger organization, talked about how things have gone so far.

"A lot of big changes have happened," Giles said. "The merger has gone well."

Two years ago, both organizations lost their CEOs. The shake-up provided an opportunity for change.

"Our volunteer boards started to communicate," Giles said.

The two organizations decided they were better able to serve as one. After a year of due-diligence reports, and going through processes to figure out how to make it all work, the West Volusia YMCA and the Greater Daytona YMCA became the Volusia/Flagler YMCA in the fall of 2008.

The merger united eight YMCAs and one camp facility.

The West Volusia YMCA comprised DeLand, Deltona and Orange City, and the Greater Daytona YMCA included Flagler, Ormond, Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Edgewater and Camp Winona in DeLeon Springs.

The former chief operating officer of the Jacksonville YMCA, Teresa Rogers, was hired as the CEO of the new organization.

It's working well for both the organizations and the members, Giles reports.

The benefits to members are pretty great, he said, because membership cards now work at all eight family facilities.

This opens up a wide range of services for members.

"The YMCA is not just a gym," Giles said.

If one branch doesn't offer a class, such as a prenatal class, or if a class doesn't fit a member's work schedule, the schedules and offerings at seven other locations can be checked — and may well be different.

"Each YMCA is so special," Giles said. "That uniqueness is still there."

For more information about the Volusia/Flagler YMCA, visit www.vfymca.org, or call the business office at (386) 738-9622.

— jen@beacononlinenews.com

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