Since opening in 1878, the YWCA has helped area women improve their lives, but recently has faced economic hardship.
By Lindsay Tice
Staff Writer

LEWISTON – The YWCA of Central Maine has always been part of Tonie Ramsey’s life.

As the young daughter of Greek immigrants, she found the YWCA was a place to have some fun after school. When she was a young woman, it offered a job and a leadership role in the community. As a retiree, it has provided her with a ready group of friends and a place to make a difference.

“It helped expand my horizons,” she said.

This week, Ramsey will be there to support the YWCA as it celebrates a milestone, just as the old nonprofit has been there for her- and all area women- decade after decade.

On Wednesday, the YWCA turns 125 years old.

“The Y has had its share of downs, but they’re getting back up,” Ramsey said.

A voice

Founded in 1878 by the Women’s Benevolent Association, the Young Women’s Christian Association was established to improve the lives of girls, women and their families. At a time when women were often told they had to stay home and raise families, the Lewiston-Auburn YWCA offered classes on tuning up a car or taking shorthand. It provided a residence for young women who needed a safe, inexpensive place to stay and provided dozens of clubs for women who wanted to be part of a community.

More than one generation of children has learned to swim in the YWCA’s heated pool. Others have learned to cope with their lives through the group’s adolescent intervention program.

The YWCA, Ramsey said, has given girls and women the confidence and encouragement to change their lives, “to be a voice that’s heard.”

Hard times

But over the years, as other nonprofit groups have established services in the Twin Cities, many of the YWCA’s social service programs slowly vanished. The adult education classes, the reading room and the residence for young women all disappeared. So did dozens of the clubs for young mothers and senior citizens.

In 2000, members learned that the old nonprofit had spent its endowment and was running a deficit of more than $200,000. Critics said fund-raising efforts were ineffective and the YWCA lacked the focus to succeed.

Since then, recovery has been slow. Many say it’s been successful, though.

Officials worked to bolster core services while trimming elsewhere in the $1 million budget. A transition team was formed to consolidate positions and reorganize.

Jeanne McLaughlin, the YWCA’s fifth director in six years, said the YWCA is financially stronger than it was three years ago but it still needs to look at reinventing itself.

The group will soon develop a strategic plan for the future. It will begin by distributing surveys to those who use the facility so officials can learn what people want from their YWCA.

“We’re looking for opportunities to enhance what we do or add programs that are needed by the community,” said McLaughlin, who started as executive director about six weeks ago.

Bustling

Despite past financial problems, the center on East Avenue bustles. The YWCA has about 1,400 members and serves another 3,000 non-members.

Last Friday, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds played on computers and built block castles during the YWCA’s daycare session.

On the other side of the building, a dozen retirees chatted about their families and knitted baby clothes as part of their weekly Crafters group meeting.

“I’ve been part of the YWCA ever since eternity, ever since it began,” joked 81-year-old Dorothy Larrabee before the Crafters meeting started.

Across the hall, 15 women bounced, bobbed and kicked in the center’s Olympic size swimming pool during an hour-long “aquacise” class.

Jackie O’Donnell, president of the Y-Ettes women’s club and a member of the aquacise class, said the YWCA gives her a place to socialize, exercise and have fun.

Like Tonie Ramsey and hundreds of other area women, she’s watched the YWCA grow and change as her own life has grown and changed.

“It’s a real nice feeling around here,” she said. “It’s wonderful. We have hopes of being around for a long time.”

ltice@sunjournal.com