BANGOR – The Bangor YMCA has released news of participation and statistics in volunteerism and contributions to the community. As a local nonprofit organization, the Bangor YMCA offers programs that build spirit, mind and body for all ages and promote the YMCA character values of caring, respect, responsibility and honesty.

The Bangor YMCA denies no one a membership due to financial hardship.

The 2003 Annual Giving Campaign raised $129,000. Sixty volunteers worked together to attain this goal and have one of the YMCA’s strongest fund-raising years in its history. This money, in its entirety, will help the Bangor YMCA provide scholarships and programs for youth, families and individuals in the greater Bangor community who cannot afford the cost.

Last year, the Bangor YMCA received more than 24,400 volunteer hours fulfilling 4,344 volunteer opportunities with a value of more than $351,692. Volunteers helped in various roles, serving as mentors, board and committee members, youth sports coaches and officials, camp clean-up crews, cardiac rehab nurses, fund raisers, swim meet workers, architects, advertisers, engineers and legal professionals.

In 2003, the Bangor YMCA provided 812 individuals with $83,140 in subsidized memberships, up 25 percent over the amount of scholarship dollars given in 2002.

The organization served 316 children in child care programs, of whom nearly half received some form of scholarship.

The Bangor YMCA provided swim instruction for 555 youth, including free Learn-to-Swim lessons for 50 children.

In addition, 778 children were served at the resident camp, Camp Jordan, of whom 37 percent received some form of scholarship. Camp Jordan served 17 percent more children, and campers received 10 percent more scholarships than in 2002.

The YMCA also served 290 children at Camp Peirce Webber day camp, with 31 percent receiving some form of scholarship.

The Bangor YMCA brought youth together from seven countries, 17 states and 114 Maine communities to experience diversity at Camp Jordan.

Also, the organization provided free programming for more than 65 children in its YouthWorks Club programs.

The Bangor YMCA provided free daily programming at the Y-Outreach site on Davis Road in Bangor for 30 children living in the Capehart, Birch Circle and Griffin Park neighborhoods.

Free programming also was given to 80 youth in the JumpStart Program for first-time, nonviolent juvenile offenders, up 11 percent over 2002.

The Bangor YMCA collaborated with the YWCA to provide 61 participants a 10-month competitive Swim Team.

The YMCA served 23 teens at Camp Xtreme Xperience, 18 of which received some form of scholarship.

The organization provided doctor-approved cardiac phase III and pulmonary rehabilitation programs for 151 members, serving 32 percent more individuals than in 2002.

The Bangor YMCA provided youth sports programs that teach the value of fair play and emphasize participation, not winning, for 1,478 children – 24 percent more youth than in 2002. Sports included basketball, soccer, dance, archery, field hockey, tae kwon do, baseball, swim team, pre-sporter and more.

For more information, contact Carrie Anderson or Rob Reeves at the Bangor YMCA, 941-2815.