About half the 240 guests that gathered on September 22, 2017 at the Capital Event Center were dressed as super heroes. No, it was not comic book convention, but the annual Supergala Dinner and Auction to support the important youth programs offered by the South Sound YMCA.
The Supergala Dinner and Auction is the biggest annual fundraising event for the local organization. A smashing success, the fun and casual event raised $97,000 for youth development programs such as the Power Scholars program. In Power Scholars Academy, disadvantaged students from local school districts are invited to participate in a five-week summer program designed to limit the loss of academic skills over the summer break. Events such as the Supergala allow the YMCA to provide scholarships for this fun, educational experience. 181 students were able to participate this past summer at no expense to their families.
The Supergala Dinner and Auction has grown significantly each year since the first event was held over 15 years ago. This is the second year the event has been held at the Capital Event Center located at ESD #113 and it was the best attended yet. The annual gathering gives community members the opportunity to bid on both live and silent auction items. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner and a fun photo booth while supporting our area’s youth.
Most people are familiar with YMCA summer camps, one of the signature programs provided by the South Sound YMCA for local families and kids. The majority of Y camps are geared toward kids ages six to thirteen, but older teens can get involved as well. The CIT (Counselor-In-Training) program is available to teens ages 14-16. The South Sound YMCA provides camps each June through September and provides extended hours for working parents. These camps prove invaluable to working families and parents looking for social and experiential outlets for their kids during the summer months and the Y works hard to keep registration fees low, providing access for as many kids as possible.
Members of the community, the Board of Trustees and many members of the YMCA Advisory Board attended the Supergala, showing their support for this long-standing community cornerstone. Perhaps fittingly, Congressman Denny Heck was also in attendance. Congressman Heck may have connected in particular with the Youth and Government program. The YMCA Youth and Government program is a national program that allows teens in grades eight through twelve to participate in mock governmental proceedings in our state’s legislative chambers and beyond. Students gain experience in civic engagement and practice democracy in a real-world setting. Participants meet in local and state group to discuss issues that are of importance to their regions. In addition, students gain knowledge of government and learn valuable skills along the way.
This year, an Olympia teen was elected Governor for the State of Washington. Sydney Kleingartner’s participation in Youth and Government was the culmination of a childhood spent immersed in programs of all kinds at the South Sound YMCA.
While the event is all about raising funds to support the important programs at the South Sound YMCA, it’s also a great night on the town where attendees can take home terrific auction items of all kinds. One lucky bidder at the auction came away with a ten-day trip to Hawaii while the “Best of Live” raffle winner took home a 7-day cruise for two to the Caribbean. A paddle raise was also included to help fund the focused programs at the South Sound YMCA.
In an inspiring video sharing all the organization does for youth, the Y laid out clearly the four things a donation to the South Sound YMCA can do:
- Develop future leaders.
- Close the achievement gap.
- Keep the Y open for all.
- Change lives.
It’s never too late to help the YMCA with its mission. You can be a superhero any day of the week and donate at any time.
Save the date for the 2018 Auction, scheduled for Friday September 21, 2018. For more information on the South Sound YMCA and their programs visit them online or call 360-753-6576 (Briggs) or 360-357-6609 (Downtown).
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