Leadership Saratoga Helps Capital District YMCA
Introduction: The Leadership Saratoga Class of 2018 split up into four "teams" at the start of the program, in the Fall of 2017. Each team was assigned a specific nonprofit challenge to tackle and resolve as part of the Leadership Saratoga experience. Below is a snyopsis from the project team that worked with the Capital District YMCA, in Clifton Park.
The Capital District YMCA - Southern Saratoga Branch, in Clifton Park, had created a one-mile path around their property in the prior year, and now wanted to expand upon it. The scope of our project was:
- To locate, design and install a low rope confidence-building course for use by the Y’s 350 day-campers and other YMCA patrons
III. To augment the existing trail with the design and installation of a meditation labyrinth
We decided to divide and conquer, and play to our strengths.
Geoff Kelley and Rodney Brewer tackled the Low Ropes Course by working with a professional company, Absolutely Experiential, based out of MA. They identified the optimum 20’ by 80’ spot on the Y property, specifically looking to integrate the existing environment for use on the course and so as to minimize disturbing the land (e.g. tree removal). We all chose the 10 elements that will be included, and that can leave room for future expansion.
Cost: Materials, installation, training for up to 12 people -- $11k
Samantha Kercull planned the Meditation Labyrinth. The plan was to use natural elements – large stones for the outline and pea gravel for in between, for example – on what is considered a typical 7-circuit labyrinth plan. Halfway through our project, the Executive Director asked, “What if there could be yoga done in the labyrinth?” Samantha reevaluated and the diameter grew from 48 feet to 53 feet.
Wendy Page worked on the Wellness Stations, realizing immediately that the first order of business was to remove the “stations” that were already there, and start over. She delineated three spots for the three new stations, with each one outlined then filled in with pea gravel. The design is such that more than one person can use each station at a time, and numerous exercises can be done on each element.
The final player on the team, Kevin Hunter, is the engineer project manager who took all of Samantha’s and Wendy’s information, made sense of it, and determined sizing, amount of building material, cost, etc.
Cost of the meditation/yoga labyrinth: Fabric, tree removal, pea gravel, ropes, stones … $3,200-$3,600
Cost of three wellness stations: wood, Trex composites, metal bars, pea gravel … $1,700
The importance rated from the beginning was low-ropes so that they could continue with adding something new for the youth camp each year, then the labyrinth, then the wellness stations. To our surprise, the Y secured funding for the latter two almost immediately after our final presentation, and very quickly, trees were removed and the old stations were removed. A short while later, we were told that the Y received funding for the low ropes cost – so all three projects are moving forward! Then Rodney put the feather in the cap that he got an in-kind donation for all the pea gravel, cobblestone, etc., at no cost to the Y.
We expect an obelisk not quite as large as the Washington Monument to state our names and how great we are. Or a small 8x10 that’s laminated. Either will work.
Our motto: We believe that nature is part of your nurture.
The moral of our story: Whenever you can, TAKE IT OUTSIDE.
