BELLOWS FALLS — On Nov. 24, the three full-time leaders of Meeting Waters YMCA arrived to work at a new location.
Over the weekend, volunteers and staff moved the organization into its new administrative headquarters at 49 The Square, in the heart of downtown Bellows Falls, from its location of the past 43 years.
According to Steve Fortier, the regional non-profit's executive director, many years of thought, discussion and planning went into the decision.
Over the past 15 years, he said, Meeting Waters' strategic plan has focused the organization on responding to community needs with services provided in the communities where they'll have the most positive impact. He said this led to a shift in service delivery “that has brought us out into the communities we serve with site-based programs like Y-ASPIRE, our Snow Day Program, our healthy communities work, and our two new programs in social responsibility - Togetherhood and Stewards of Children - among many others.”
Vern Temple, Meeting Waters' president, said he feels that this was the right time to make the move.
“With our Y-ASPIRE program for Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, and Westminster having moved to Central School at the beginning of the school year, our old facility is now underutilized. The facility no longer meets our needs and is draining financial resources that will be better spent on increased financial assistance and program support,” he said.
Temple added that arrangements were made for the current facility, one of the oldest churches in Bellows Falls, to remain a community asset.
“We are pleased that the building on Atkinson Street will remain a fixture and a resource for the Bellows Falls community for years to come,” Temple said. He added that more details would be released when they're official.