The Bainbridge-Decatur Y has been a tremendous part of our community for 25 years, but recent financial troubles have put the facility in challenging times. As a part of the Y’s 25-year anniversary, the Board of Directors has begun a campaign to help ensure the facility will remain in business for another 25 years in the future, and beyond.

The “5 in 5” campaign kicked off Tuesday, as board members met together with the goal of collecting pledges to help provide financial support to the Y’s daily operations. The campaign gets its name, because the goal is for $5,000 to be collected over a five year period (or at least a $1,000 pledge every year for five years). A pledge of $1,000 is enough to help the Y meet its financial needs for a week, board members said.

The goal set for this campaign is $104,000 each year, for five years. Families and individuals who make the five-year pledge of $1,000 or more will be featured in the Y lobby during their “week” of sponsorship.

There are many who might ask why the Y needs money, considering that it has membership fees and other costs that are incurred by its customers. However, an annual campaign such as the “5 in 5” is a necessity for most Y’s — they allow the facility to subsidize its expenses while also keeping costs low for members and those who may have financial hardship.

When you make a gift to the Y, regardless of the size of the gift, you are helping to fund life-changing programs that help everyone in the community life a healthier, fuller life. We can’t all afford to pledge $1,000 a year, but most of us can at least afford to give something.

The Y is a tremendous asset to our community, and we should all do our part to ensure its viability for years to come.