SENATE RESOLUTION

                            8702

By Senators Hargrove, Eide, Fairley, Kohl-Welles and Johnson

     WHEREAS, The year 2001 marks the one-hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the YMCA movement in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA has touched the lives of virtually all Americans, from pioneering camping, public libraries, night schools, group swim lessons and lifesaving, to teaching English as a second language and inventing basketball and volleyball; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA is dedicated to building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA serves people of all ages, incomes, and abilities through a wide variety of programs and services designed to meet changing community needs; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA lives by its mission "To put Christian principles into practice through the programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all"; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA is an organization that incorporates the values of caring, honesty, responsibility, and respect into all of its programs; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA is an organization that is volunteer-founded, volunteer-based, and volunteer-led, and more than twenty-thousand citizens of Washington State see fit to provide volunteer services at their local YMCA; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA's of Washington State provide high quality, affordable childcare to more than ten thousand children each year; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA's of Washington State annually serve more than four-hundred and forty thousand individuals, including two-hundred and forty-five thousand youth; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA's of Washington State provide financial assistance in excess of sixteen million dollars to make programs and services accessible to all members of the community; and

     WHEREAS, The YMCA's of Washington State annually provide teens with a safe place to go after school; provide families with a fun and affordable place to spend time together; provide seniors with social programs; and provide healthy programs and services for all people in the community; and

     WHEREAS, The one-hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the YMCA movement will draw special public attention to the distinguished history of the organization and to the benefits that the people of Washington State have enjoyed as a result of the proud tradition of this organization;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor the YMCA on its one-hundred and fiftieth anniversary and urge all citizens to join in this special observance.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8702,

adopted by the Senate May 24, 2001.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate