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Y celebrates 15th anniversary and says thanks for the memories
By LOGAN D. MABE © St. Petersburg Times, published October 29, 2000 NORTHDALE -- When Candy Terrigno joined the Bob Sierra branch YMCA in 1985, it was a modest, one-room concrete block building short on square footage but big in heart. "It was just like those pictures back there," Terrigno said, pointing to a display of 15-year-old black and white photos. "It was very small. I remember they had a cap of 300 members." Terrigno was one of those charter members, and two years later, took a job in membership services. She has been working the front desk ever since, greeting young and old and everyone in between. "I have seen families grow up here," Terrigno said. "I've seen kids go from their mommy's tummies to working here." All week long, the YMCA celebrated its 15th anniversary, capping the bash with a barbecue cookout Saturday. It was a chance for YMCA staffers to say thanks to its many members and volunteers for the memories. "Without the group we had 15 years ago, we wouldn't have made it to where we are today," said Chris Knox, membership director at the branch. "We've got almost 11,000 members now, so we've come a long way, baby." YMCA district director Steve Bowers was still in high school when the Bob Sierra branch opened on Northdale Boulevard. By the time he was in college, Bowers was working the front desk, too. And like Terrigno he never left. "The Y did a lot for me when I first started working here, so I'm just giving back a little bit," Bowers said. "It's been exciting." The branch has grown into a full-service workout and recreation facility. It sports a state-of-the-art fitness center, a gymnasium, swimming pool, racquetball courts, meeting rooms and playgrounds. The branch employs about 200 staffers, Bowers said, about 100 of whom are high school students who work there part time. "So many Ys have histories that date back so far, but we're just now seeing the kids we had growing up, graduating from college and now are bringing their kids here," Bowers said. Bowers credits much of the Y's steady growth to the connections it has made in the community. For instance, when it became clear that handicapped children and adults were eager for recreation options, the YMCA started an adaptive sports program. "Now the word is out. The Y is the place for special-needs kids," Bowers said. About 90 percent of the memberships at the Bob Sierra branch are family memberships, Knox said, and the staff seeks to create an environment that will appeal to all ages. "We always want to be the best place whether you're a single mom, grandma and grandpa, or a 13-year-old kid needing a place to spend the afternoon," Bowers said. -- Logan D. Mabe can be reached at 226-3464 or by e-mail at mabe@sptimes.com.
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