YGBW’s annual volunteer recognition event aptly takes place during National Volunteer Week

(West Chester, PA) – As many nonprofit organizations do, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine (YGBW) relies heavily on volunteers to fulfill its mission each year. That’s why YGBW invited volunteers to Penn Oaks Golf Club this week for their annual volunteer recognition event – the Breakfast of Champions.

At the event, YGBW celebrated the impact of all volunteers and bestowed honors on 13 individuals or organizations who made a significant impact last year. Honorees included West Chester University, NFP and Scott Bond.

Volunteer Recognition Awards
“Each year, we recognize three organizations or individuals who have significantly impacted our entire association," explained Donna Urian, Board Chair and Chief Volunteer Officer at YGBW. “I am pleased to present our honorees with three awards – the Service to Youth award, the Community Partner award and the Distinguished Service award.”

The Service to Youth Award recognizes an organization that has made a significant and positive difference in the lives of youth in the community. Urian presented the 2022 award to West Chester University for their partnership in developing curriculum for youth programming, their support of YGBW’s internship program and other contributions to Youth Development – a pillar of the YMCA mission.

The Community Partner award recognizes an organization that is committed to the YMCA's mission and has worked to strengthen the foundations of the community. Urian presented the 2022 award to NFP for their support of Healthy Kids Day and the Corporate Cup golf championship, which raises funds to provide local seventh graders with a free YMCA membership via the 7th Grade Initiative.

The Distinguished Service award recognizes the Y's most dedicated volunteers and emphasizes the need for community service by all members of the community, setting an example that others follow. Urian presented the 2022 award to Scott Bond, a member of the YMCA’s Innovation and Technology Committee who has generously volunteered his time, talent and leadership for 16 years.

Leaders from each YMCA branch in the YGBW Association attended the Breakfast of Champions, presenting branch Volunteer of the Year awards to 10 exceptional volunteers. Award recipients serve many roles in the community – coaches, leaders, ambassadors, teachers, mentors and advisors. These volunteers support Y programs such as youth basketball, youth swimming, youth soccer, pickleball, childcare, Before and After School Enrichment, Respite Recreation and a number of advisory boards.

Showing Appreciation for 3,200 Volunteers
"We are thrilled to celebrate our volunteers at Breakfast of Champions,” comments Laura Milazzo Mackiewicz, Director of Volunteer Engagement at YGBW. “The 13 award recipients are dedicated to driving our mission forward – and they are just the tip of the iceberg.”

“Last year, we saw many programs, classes, and sports restart at the Y as members returned to their pre-pandemic lifestyle. This shone a light on how critical volunteers are to fulfilling our mission. More than 3,200 volunteers worked alongside YMCA staff last year to bring our mission to life. It is inspiring. I can’t wait to see the impact of our growing volunteer program in 2023.”

YGBW is celebrating volunteers all month long in honor of National Volunteer Appreciation Month. In addition to attending the Breakfast of Champions, volunteers have been given a set of complimentary admission passes to popular Chester County attractions such as Longwood Gardens and the American Helicopter Museum as part of a reciprocal pass program organized by a group of nonprofit organizations in Chester County.

To learn more about Volunteering at YGBW https://ymcagbw.org/give/volunteer
To learn more about YGBW 2022 Volunteer Honorees https://ymcagbw.org/blog/52000-hours-gratitude