AUBURN – The Auburn-Lewiston YMCA board of directors and staff are honoring Executive Director Jim Lawler for his more than 25 years of service to the organization by proclaiming Wednesday, Oct. 18, as “Jim Lawler Day.”

Lawler has been at the helm of the A-L YMCA since 1987, when he was named executive director. At that time the YMCA was in a dire financial condition. With Lawler’s passion, hard work, ethics and sensible business approach, the YMCA began a transformation.

Lawler had a unique ability to seek new forms of revenue while meeting the needs of the community and the goals of the organization. He was able to bring the YMCA to being the healthy, community-minded vibrant organization it is today.

When Lawler was named executive director in 1987, he was hampered by the economy going into a recession. He began assembling what many consider to be the best YMCA staff in the state.

Since that time he has been able to introduce a wellness center, start group exercise classes, start childcare services, remodel the third floor into a teen center/childcare/yoga/office area, update the building with new wiring, roof, windows, flooring and paint, while continuing to develop and expand the YMCA’s Camp Connor on Range Pond.

He has also expanded the youth sports program to include baseball hitting and field hockey. Under his direction, the YMCA utilizes state of the art membership recognition systems, high speed Internet and provides detailed information on services at its Web site.

Prior to taking over the top staff position at the YMCA, Lawler also held positions as a Camp Connor counselor, Camp Connor director and health and fitness director. As a child he came to the YMCA on a regular basis and was an outstanding youth basketball player.

He graduated from Edward Little High School in 1970, then attended the University of Southern Maine where he received a B.S. in recreational management. Lawler has served and is currently serving on numerous community-related boards and has received many professional certifications.

Lawler is married to the former Pandora Vasiliauskas and they have a son, Benjamin, who recently graduated from UMO with a B.S. in marine sciences and now lives and works in Portland.

The YMCA invites everyone to stop by the YMCA during “Jim Lawler Day” and give him their regards.

Staff said, “We all know he’s got many more years of service left and many goals to accomplish before he begins spending time on his other two passions, walking the beaches of Florida and reading James Patterson novels.”

For more information on the YMCA programs, stop by the facility at 62 Turner St., call 795-4095 or visit the Web at www.alymca.com.