Closing Y could repel supporters

8/1/2009

Has the Toledo YMCA lost its way?

According to its mission, the YMCA-JCC stands for "Building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities for 144 years." Its decision to abruptly close the Anthony Wayne branch, home to 600 paying families who depend on it for wellness and a safe, quality preschool day care under the early learning initiative program for their preschoolers, is foolhardy.

Abruptly disrupting active young children from a chance to get a "head start" while their struggling parents try to keep families afloat in such economically challenging and scary times brings havoc, and upheaval is the absolute antithesis of the Y's mission.

The oldest family social service organization in our community, which now "boasts" the highest administrative salary in the state and supports reprehensible nepotism, causes further questioning of the wisdom of the "deciders" who have chosen to close a single branch - in an older, mature neighborhood of Toledo - in favor of keeping open for business all 10 of the other branches, including those in affluent neighborhoods, which either don't need programs such as the ELI and/or whose members could well afford a privately owned fitness facility.

Those who have made our nation and city great have made difficult decisions based on much more than a myopic view of the bottom line.

Where is the social conscience which has kept the YMCA alive and well for 144 years? With charitable contributions already in a distressing free fall, the decision to close the Anthony Wayne Y could well sound its death knell in the upcoming United Way and membership campaigns.

There are always many other belt-tightening measures which can be taken. YMCA, please reverse this draconian decision before you have done irreversible harm to Toledo families who need you most.

Lynn B. Jacobs

Sylvania Township

After reading about the total failure of our new Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority President Michael Stolarczyk to launch JetAmerica at a cost of $150,000 to taxpayers, I have just one question: Is Jim Hartung still looking for a job?

Mike McMahon

Robinwood Avenue

How the times change. For years, the quest was to turn Westwood Avenue into a superhighway connecting the University of Toledo and the former Medical College of Ohio. Now the quest is to close off Westwood and turn it into a dead end.

KURT MEYERS

Schneider Road