History
Unique Beginnings of the YMCA
“When the going gets tough.” Sometimes historic good things happen…
Tough certainly describes the unique beginnings and phenomenal creation of the YMCA. In 1844, the unhealthy social conditions in London, England, touched George Williams and he “got going”. George and some of his drapery co-workers were determined to do something to help rural young men who came needing city jobs and a morally decent place to be after work or between jobs, a haven from the corruption of the streets. By 1851, George and his volunteers were proud of the 24 Young Men’s Christian Associations in Great Britain and the 2,700 young men involved. That same year the YMCA spread to North America via Montreal in November and Boston in December. These age-old problems know no social or geographical boundaries.
Meeting the social needs and overcoming rigid evangelical lines became the basic foundation of the YMCA. There was a dip in membership during the Civil War, but four years after the war ended there were 600 YMCA’s with the four-fold purpose of “The improvement of the spiritual, mental, social and physical conditions of young men.” This credo was represented in the now familiar triangle of spirit, mind and body. Dormitories were added to each YMCA building during the 1880’s and organized summer camps were a popular new idea.
YMCA’s kept going through all the tough times, assisting communities and families through World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. While relief efforts and social welfare programs eased some of the social hurts, the gyms, bowling alleys, swimming pools, and fun renewed the spirit, eased the minds, and kept bodies strong and healthy.
With so many accomplishments on record it might seem like the YMCA had fulfilled the original needs and ideals, but they just kept going. Programs expanded to summer camps for all ages, night school and adult education, college students, junior college, and vocational counseling. The YMCA World Service Workers began in 1880 and were the forerunners of all Peace Corps volunteers.
Currently there are over 2,594 independent YMCAs across the country, engaging more than 20.1 million members. Regardless of location, the mission remains the same and the needs continue to be met.
The tough did get going, they kept going and YMCA staff and volunteers still have the energy, experience and mission to continue meeting the needs of people and communities.
History of the YMCA of San Francisco
The frenzy of the Gold Rush was the golden opportunity for a YMCA in San Francisco. Less than a decade after the first YMCA in London, those who made San Francisco their home recognized something was needed to combat the low moral and religious status of the gold-rush days. How about something like the group that was started in Boston? On July 18, 1853, William K. Osborn formed a committee to discuss the idea of a YMCA in San Francisco. Sixty-four men signed the preamble presented that evening. Members would pay $5 annually or $25 for life. Memberships were limited to young men up to age 40. When the Articles of Incorporation were received from the State of California, the founders began looking for quarters. A local church opened its doors. In December, committee members posted notices throughout the city to let young men know there was a safe, comfortable place to come and enjoy themselves.
In 1859, the Board addressed a proposal to permit women to join the membership. It was agreed that “any lady of good and moral character shall be entitled to the privileges of the Library by payment of $1.” The funds were used to improve the very popular library. In the summer of 1868, the San Francisco YMCA laid the cornerstone for its own building, and the first meeting was held in the Ladies Parlor at 232 Sutter Street. It was a new era in the history of the San Francisco YMCA.
The 1920’s were booming years for the country and no less so for the YMCA of San Francisco. The organization expanded into a Chinese Branch, Presidio Branch, Embarcadero Branch, and a twelve story hotel on Turk street.
Boom years turned into burst years with the onset of the depression. The YMCA of San Francisco had a need to fill in assisting the thousands of young men and boys who for various reasons, had become stranded in San Francisco. For these young men, the situation was not unlike the streets of London in 1844. Meals, rooms and temporary loans were made available as much as possible to these struggling youth.
By 1930, there were ten branches in the San Francisco Association; all but three had their own buildings. Program and service emphasis was in three areas: education, spiritual, and physical.
No historical sketch of the YMCA of San Francisco would be complete without an acknowledgment of the role it played during the War Years 1942-1946. Uniformed men flocked to YMCA centers, especially over the weekends, for rooms and other services.
Minutes from the Board of Directors for May 1943 noted that the “20,000,000th enlisted man” had entered the doors of the Embarcadero Branch.
Today the San Francisco Association is composed of fifteen branches, spanning from Suisun City, to the Peninsula and includes a beautiful camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and a unique environmental education camp at the Marin Headlands.
How the Marin YMCA Began
The first discussion of a Y in Marin occurred in 1930, but it took persistent and enthusiastic men like Fred Smith II to convince the San Francisco Board to make it happen… and they did.
The Marin YMCA officially began where the train stopped at the Ross Station and Post Office. “Delightfully rustic,” was the description given the second headquarters by Secretary Iva Weitzman, fondly referred to as “Auntie” (the first was a private house in Kentfield). One of the most active promoters of this new branch, Dr. Donald G. Stewart, a member of the San Francisco Theological Seminary, served as the first President of the Board of Managers. Joe Potts, a seminary school student, founder of a Y start-up group at the College of Marin served as the first Executive Secretary. By the end of 1947, the new Marin branch had 34 established groups with an enrollment of 446.
The next thirty five years saw a growth of YMCA community and outreach programs which emphasized youth activities and summer camping. Programs were held in school facilities, Bates Grove in Woodacre, Tolowa Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and at private swimming pools all over the county. The lack of a gym was no hindrance.
Marty Hanzlik’s reign as Executive Director saw an inspiring increase in participating youth to 1500 teen members. Along with the fun ski trips, camp outs, Y friendship Groups, Tri Hi and Tri Y Clubs, the young people were involved in social service work. Y-Teen Clubs made weekly trips to the Sonoma State Hospital to help entertain children who were hospitalized. Spring school vacation trips were made to the Navajo Mission Hospital School in Monument Valley where teens and leaders got acquainted with residents, delivered medicines and helped upgrade facilities.
The old Stetson Farmhouse in Santa Venetia became the Y’s first property. For $50,000 the new homeowners received a headquarters, four acres, and a host of gold panning and ghost stories which surrounded the old farmhouse. From 1966 to 1986 the homestead served the Y well as a center for programs and Day Camp. Y-Indian Guides got its start during these years, and women and girls were fully integrated into all programs once specified “for young men only.”
With the dedicated 30 member Board of Managers (composed of business and civic leaders), a full time staff of five, and 300 volunteers the Marin Branch conducted its myriad of activities.
With the gleam of a new Marin YMCA facility in her eye, Executive Director Sheryl Bernard convinced the volunteer Board to support her dream in 1975. Fireman’s Fund resolved the search for a location with their gift of a three and one half acre site on Los Gamos Drive. The generous gift, supplemented by a sizable grant from the San Francisco Foundation (now the Marin Community Foundation), and a mammoth grass roots fundraising drive, spearheaded by a committee of Dwight Merriman, Bob Beyer, Branwell Fanning, Ray Foreaker, John Hammond, Bob Kane, Eric Westin, Maynard Willms and Norwin Yoffie, paved the way for a ground breaking in 1986.
The Grand Opening of the Marin YMCA in 1987 was attended by thousands and Executive Director Greg O’Brien had an instant success on his hands. Memberships sold out before the doors were opened and the beautiful new facility soon became known as one of the best YMCA’s in the United States. Health and fitness programs filled the building; seniors enjoyed social trip schedules; child care centers provided excellent programs; a cardiac therapy program was launched; youth fitness programs in the public schools expanded, the Youth & Government program grew by leaps and teens, and by 1992 the annual budget had passed the four million mark.
Those were the golden years. The changing economic profile of the country and county, the increasing needs of Marin residents for financial assistance, the developing population of local at risk youth, cuts in health and social services, the demise of the family unit, all began to tarnish the gold.
Still faced with some of the old challenges which faced our founders, and a host of new ones, the Marin YMCA was determined to “get going.”
The Past Decade of the Marin YMCA
In April of 1997 the estate of Dr. Wally and Elizabeth Hall donated $8,000 to the Marin YMCA. With this money, the YMCA was able to build a long awaited playground located near ChildWatch. At the official dedication of the playground on June 18, 1998, a plaque contained a quote from Dr. Wally Hall reading, “I have had a 68 year love affair with the YMCA”
In the spring of 1998, Melissa Davis, YMCA of the USA Volunteer Services Director, who was in town for a Key Leaders conference, stopped by the branch to meet with Seth Goldman, Executive Director of the Marin YMCA. She noted the history of active volunteerism at the branch and asked Seth to nominate a long-time volunteer to be considered as the YMCA of the USA Volunteer of the Year. Although he had about half a day to select someone and get the information to Chicago, it was not a hard choice since Dr. John Siemens was one of the founding “fathers” of the YMCA back in 1946. In the 50’s, he served as board chair, and stayed active in the 60’s and 70’s. In the 80’s, he was instrumental in getting the facility built, and founded the YCT Program.
Seth found out two weeks later that Dr. Siemens was chosen as the YMCA of the USA Volunteer of the Year. At the time, Dr. Siemens was undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer and didn’t think he should go but at the urging of his family and doctor, he traveled to Chicago with his wife and kids to receive his award.
In the Fall of 1998 an anonymous donor gave the Marin YMCA $125,000 and challenged the board and staff to raise a matching amount of $125,000 for a Camp Endowment. They met the challenge and to this day, kids who would otherwise not have an opportunity to attend camp, based on financial need, are able to do so.
The YMCA entered into a partnership with the city of San Rafael in the Winter of 1998. As part of the agreement, they began offering programs and services to the Canal community. The following year they formed a partnership with the city of Novato, agreeing to run several of their pools during the summer season.
During the year 2000 and beyond the Marin YMCA has continued to keep up with the latest trends in Health and Fitness, officially adding a “Wellness” Department to the organization, which included programs such as Wellness Lectures, Massage, Health Screenings, Breast Cancer Support, and more. Classes such as Yoga and Tai Chi became a benefit of membership, rather than a fee-based program, and classes such as Pilates and NIA were added to the group exercise schedule.
2002 was a very busy year for the Marin YMCA. Not only did they officially begin their stated plans to remodel the building thanks to the generous bequests from the estates of Esther L. Nathan, John and Marguerite Siemens, and Colonel A. C. Griffin, but they also began work on opening a new facility at Hamilton in Novato. The Grand Reopening of the Marin branch was on September 6, 2003 and just weeks later the doors opened at 5:30 am at the new Novato branch of the Marin YMCA.
The Anne Frank – No More Scapegoats Exhibit, a multimedia exhibition that explores why we stereotype and the history of prejudice, discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism, opened to the public in May of 2004. The exhibit came at a time when a survey of Marin County students revealed that 39% did not feel emotionally safe and free from harassment at their middle and high schools. As a response, the Marin YMCA, Osher Marin JCC, City of Novato Multicultural Commission, and Marin Human Rights Roundtable on Hate Violence designed the exhibition with the generous financial support from the Marin Community Foundation.
In March of 2004, the Marin YMCA was named Large Business of the Year for San Rafael by the Chamber of Commerce. It was the combination of creating job opportunities, business expansion and service to community members during tough economic times that contributed to them receiving this award.
The Marin YMCA officially became the lead agency responsible for administrating the Youth Court Diversion Program in June 2005, after several years of planning with government, law enforcement and other community-based organizations. Youth Court is an alternative to the traditional juvenile justice system that empowers youth and communities to take an active role in addressing the early stages of youth delinquency. The program’s goal is to intervene in early antisocial, delinquent, and criminal behaviors to reduce incidents and prevent the escalation of such behaviors. The Youth Court program philosophy is based on a Restorative Justice model and is proving effective in significantly reducing Juvenile recidivism. Returns on investment are immediate, as even in programs with only two years of operation, more than 80% of the youth offenders have completed their sentences successfully.
Celebrating its 60th year in 2006, the Marin YMCA is one of the only organizations in Marin County offering extensive continuity of care for the highest risk youth in Marin ages 6 through 18. In honor of our 60 years of serving Marin County, the Marin YMCA is sponsoring a $250,000 new Youth Endowment Campaign to ensure that the YMCA can continue to sustain these programs, as well as develop new ones for youth in Marin’s less visible under-resourced communities for the next 60 years and beyond…
Sixty Years of Leadership
Without the dedication of hundreds of volunteers and some visionary leaders the Marin YMCA would not be celebrating sixty years of service to the community. Realizing our records and our memories have some gaps, we wish to acknowledge the creative leadership which brought us to this anniversary year. Apologies to those unmentioned participants whose names may have been lost in those archives, but whose contributions will never be forgotten.
1946 Fred Smith III – who convinced a group of Marinites and the San Francisco YMCA that Marin needed its own YMCA branch. Dr. Donald G. Stewart – the first President of the Marin YMCA Board of Managers. Joe Potts – first Executive Secretary of the Marin YMCA.
1950 Brad Bayliss – Executive Secretary of the Marin YMCA. Louis Albrecht – program secretary; Jewell Pearson, Claire Bailey, Grace Alinor Baird, “Auntie” Iva Weitzman, and Mrs. L.W. Twist, assisting secretaries. First Board of Managers: Ward Austin, Caroline Livermore, John MacPhail, Walter E. Zurcher, Dr. John Siemens, Harold Gregg, Millie Dunshee, and Rex Silvernale. Subsequent and significant Board Members; Dr. Catherine Pike, Sam Archibald, Aldele Alpers, Lee Jordan, Walter Busher, Theo Barron, Wally Hall, and Don Porter.
1960 Louis Albrecht – Executive Director. Many special programs during these years were started including summer camps, pack trips, winter ski trips, basketball leagues, dances, talent shows, Youth & Government, and Indian Guides. Mary Jean Barley and Diana Crotts provided invaluable support.
1963 Marty Hanzlik – Executive Director. Marty began directing camping trips for Marin in 1950 while he was a Peninsula Y staff member. Under his leadership, the youth participation grew to 1500 teen members in 17 club groups, including the popular Y Friendship Groups. Marty and his wife, Mary, continue to donate their time and valuable talents as committee volunteers and fund raisers.
1970 Jim Looney – Executive Director. Continuing the focus on youth, Jim also provided innovative ideas and made sure people of all faith, girls and women were integrated into the YMCA programs.
1973 Rich Brumagir – Executive Director
1975 Sheryl Bernard – Executive Director. Seeing how the YMCA could help meet the needs of the growing community, Sheryl sowed the seeds for a new YMCA facility in Marin.
1982 John “Jack” Lund – Executive Director. Jack’s leadership, determination and enthusiasm for a new Marin facility inspired his staff and volunteer Board and they made the dream come true. Meanwhile, Barbara Baird, Nancy Ryan, Betsy Babson, and Duke Shafer made the county aware of Y excellence with their programs in gymnastics, swim lessons and exercise programs in schools and outreach facilities. John Wash provided a youth employment service that connected hundreds of youths and needy employers. None of it, however, could have happened at all without Madelaine Stiver commandeering the office in the old Stenson farmhouse.
1983 John Hammond – Volunteer. John formed the Capital Project Steering Committee. John’s tireless efforts to promote and raise funds for the new Y brought him the honor of receiving the first Marin Y Membership card, with grateful thanks from everyone. Others on the committee included Bob Beyer, Branwell Fanning, Ray Foreaker, Bob Kane, Eric Westin, Maynard Williams and Norwim Yoffie. Fr. John Seimens and Mel Baruh continued to provide their solid leadership.
1985 Pete Peterson – Executive Director. Pete, along with Hank Bagelman and Stu Warner from the San Francisco YMCA worked with the architects and construction workers as the Y walls began to rise beside Highway 101. Wearing hard hats and a clear focus they managed to complete a building and keep the programs going at the same time.
1987 Greg O’Brien – Executive Director. Greg opened the doors and Marin opened its heart to the new building with a full membership and praises all ‘round for the beautiful facility and much needed expanded programs for health and fitness, cardiac therapy, additional child care sites, “Begin to Swim” week and special needs programs.
1991 Seth Goldman – Executive Director. Seth nurtured the growing Marin YMCA, reintroducing Youth Fitness in the public schools, gymnastics and teen outreach program expansion throughout Marin, Summer Day Camp achieved a record 200+ campers daily, the annual budget grew to over $4 million, the International program was established with sister-city Halberstadt. Germany and camp counselors visited from several countries. Point Bonita YMCA, now a part of the Marin Branch, has become an outstanding site for environmental education and specialty camps.
1998 Dr. John Siemens was recognized as the YMCA of the USA Volunteer of the Year for his service to the YMCA as a “founding father” of the Marin YMCA, past board chair, founder of the Los Gamos Facility being built and of the YCT program.
1999 Luann Jackman – Executive Director. Also serves as an Association District Vice President for the YMCA of San Francisco, overseeing three branches, to include Marin, North Bay and Point Bonita. Under her leadership the Marin YMCA was able to expand its facilities to Novato, undergo a major remodel, and have a substantial increase in the number of grants received. She has also received a number of recognitions in the community, and serves on a number of boards.