Annual Heritage Club Dinner

Montgomery County Family YMCA Press Release (Red Oak, Iowa)
November, 2016

The Montgomery County Family YMCA hosted their annual Heritage Club Dinner at the Red Coach Inn & Restaurant on Tuesday, November 15th, 2016. Dr. Mike Portz of Red Oak and a member of the YMCA’s Endowment Committee served as Master of Ceremonies. The evening and annual program is a night of celebration and appreciation for the wonderful mission work that the YMCA focuses on in the areas of youth development, social responsibility, and healthy living.

Diane Brower of Red Oak, YMCA member and volunteer, offered the evening invocation.  Over 90 heritage club members were present and enjoyed the meal served by the Red Coach Inn & Restaurant staff. The YMCA’s Heritage Club Dinner is made possible by the generosity of Tom Carder and his late wife Catherine Carder who realized the importance of an endowment program being established at the YMCA’s beginning in 1995.

A video, produced by Kristi Potts, YMCA Social Media Specialist, was shown that highlighted the past year’s activities and relationship building at the YMCA. That was followed by the induction of Dennis & Katie Bloom of Red Oak to the YMCA’s “Heritage Club Endowment Hall of Fame”. The Bloom’s were honored for their generosity and commitment to the Montgomery County Family YMCA.

This year’s keynote speaker was Keith Zimmer, Senior Associate Athletic Director at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Keith has been at UNL since 1987 and is a member of the Athletics Department Senior Management Team. He pioneered the Nebraska Life Skills program and oversees all components of the nationally recognized life skills programs serving 600 student-athletes in 24 sports. 

Keith started by showing a short video about UNL and pointing out some of the commonalities between UNL and the YMCA; such as encouraging excellence, support of one’s community, and establishing good relationships and traditions. He encouraged those present to further develop our area youth and turn them into the future leaders of tomorrow. As he said at one point, “Tonight is a celebration of Excellence-a Celebration of Tradition. A celebration of Community and County coming together to provide a place for many, young and old alike to learn, grow, and thrive.” 

Dr. Portz concluded the event by sharing that during 2016 the YMCA has been the benefactor of many gifts including significant gifts received from the Charles W. Wilson & Norma J. Wilson Foundation, the Helen Murphy Estate, the Ruth E. Nelson Trust Account, and the Rod & Jean Farmer Estate.  Dr. Portz expressed the YMCA’s deepest appreciation for all of the endowed gifts that arrived in 2016.

For more information on the Heritage Club, on how you can become a member of the YMCA’s Heritage Club for life or make a donation to the YMCA’s Endowment program; visit the YMCA’s website page at www.mcymca.com; or contact Nick Zimmer, YMCA Executive Director at (712) 623-2161 or by email at nickz@mcymca.com.