I look for every opportunity to celebrate the successes of the YWCA Gettysburg & Adams County. This year, we are already off to a great start.
On Jan. 13, more than 700 community members joined the YWCA and Adams County Arts Council for Dancing with the Local Stars, presented by WellSpan Health. Congratulations to Brienna Smith (it was her first time on the cast) and Jeremy Lusk, the Gettysburg Area High School Principal, who took home the trophy. Many thanks to the wonderful cast of local stars, professional dancers, team at the Majestic Theater and event planning committee who made this an unforgettable event. Stay tuned for an announcement regarding next year’s event.
Just a few days later, we commemorated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the 41st annual MLK Celebration. The YWCA, alongside the United Way of Adams County, was delighted to honor Mary-Alice Nutter as the Living the Dream Legacy Award recipient. While Mary-Alice received this award in the late 1990s, it is fitting to again recognize her efforts in living the dream. Mary-Alice saw the need for and importance of the American history of Gettysburg’s Black community to be shared. Her goals for the museum were to educate, preserve and inspire. She worked tirelessly and fearlessly for over 20 years to make sure the Gettysburg Black American history, which is a part of American history, is shared.
Without the efforts of people like Mary-Alice Nutter, there would not be people like me serving as the first African American CEO of the YWCA Gettysburg & Adams County. I would also like to recognize both Mayor Rita Frealing and Taurean Moses for serving as keynote speakers at this powerful event.
The next day, I attended Gov. Josh Shapiro’s inauguration in Harrisburg and the inaugural celebration in Lancaster. The governor’s priorities align with many of the legislative priorities of YWCAs across the nation. These issues include safety from gender-based violence, childcare, federal budget and appropriations, strengthening the nonprofit sector, racial justice, reproductive justice and abortion access and economic security for women and families. YWCA advocates for practical solutions that meet the needs of women, girls and marginalized communities to advance our intersectional mission to eliminate racism and empower women.
In local news, the YWCA Gettysburg & Adams County continues to celebrate a great season and another win for our Sharks Swim Team. Congratulations, Sharks, for all of your hard work. You make us proud.
In the month ahead, we are excited to be hosting our first “Teen Takeover,” a monthly event for teens ages 13-18. The inaugural event is tentatively scheduled to be hosted at the YWCA on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 6-10 p.m. (yes, after normal hours). Teens will enjoy food, music, activities throughout the facility, open swim, basketball and more. I encourage you to visit our website, http://www.YWCAGettysburg.org, for more information and to sign up.
We are on a roll. Let’s keep moving forward.
Tymia Q. Green is the chief executive officer of the YWCA Gettysburg & Adams County.
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