The Scott family can’t wait to tell you why they love Boothbay Region YMCA (BRYMCA), its diversity of programs and its community-based services that led them to their role as the Y’s Thrive 2025 Philanthropic Ambassadors.

“I had just finished some treatment, and I got really sad. It was just circumstantial, and it's very common at the end of treatment – And then Nick (Scott) told me about the Livestrong program, and it was a lifesaver for me. I met such a phenomenal group of people, with similar experiences and thoughts and it was so helpful. I wanted to stay connected with them, they were wonderful, and it didn’t matter where you were in this spectrum, the program welcomed all,” said Mandy Scott.

“We offer Livestrong once or twice a year, when there’s critical mass, to provide great support to our community’s cancer survivors, as Mandy mentions,” said Andy Hamblett, BRYMCA CEO. “With (community) support, we’ve grown the Y into a hub that now serves more than 6,000 individuals annually … we’ve rallied to invest in our facilities, our programs, and most importantly, our people. We’ve launched initiatives that have brought nourishment to families, support to cancer survivors, access to youth and teens (Borsage Family Foundation), and dignity to those who simply needed a place to belong. What I’m most proud of is not what we’ve built, but how we’ve built it—together. Through collaboration, shared values, and a commitment to inclusion, we’ve created something truly special,” he writes.

Said Nick Scott, “I love the Y for all-around family stuff: There's a lot to do here. It's fantastic if you want to stay fit, I like to run a lot, and it’s nice to have an indoor track, and when the injury bug nips, it's amazing to have a whole pool facility across the street. The cycling room has fantastic equipment, plus, the weight room.”

Emma and Ollie Scott learned to swim at the Y – all second graders are given free access to swimming lessons. Emma has enjoyed voice and dance classes, gymnastics and Y-Arts. Ollie is playing tennis and the entire family is interested in pickleball. Their workout playlists are as varied and diverse as the Y offerings: Nick usually doesn’t listen to music when he runs, for safety purposes; Mandy loves to dance to 80’s upbeat pop; Ollie listens to rock n’ roll; and Emma is into Olivia Rodrigo. “Invisible,” said Ollie when asked which superpower he would choose. “Because then, I could take all the classes here.”

“Another vantage point that’s a little bit unique to me is that I’m a high school coach, and having this facility across the street from our school is huge. From an indoor track standpoint, I'm willing to bet that we have the best, most consistent place to train on a track of high caliber than any school in the state (exclusive of college towns),” said Nick. When the bell rings, droves of students from BRES and BRHS can be seen walking down the hill to the Y. “Because of the proximity, I feel like most of our students are relatively fit,” said Nick. “The Y’s location is intentional, and for that reason,” said Hamblett. “It was built in 1968 across from the schools on purpose, for easy access.”

“We’re so much more than a ‘gym and swim.’ We have a grab-and-go fridge so anybody can get a healthy snack anytime. We have blood drives here, and we were the first YMCA in the country to open a vaccine clinic when COVID-19 hit. We’re an official warming station with the new generator, a cool place in high temperatures, and anyone can come in and use the Wi-Fi. We were classroom space when the schools needed it,” said Allyson Goodwin, director of development. The Y is committed to providing access to everyone and offers a sliding scale and free memberships for those in need.

For Hamblett, the Y is about socialization and having a place to belong. “As we age, that need for social contact is so important; it is healthy to meet people and share laughs and spend time in a safe, welcoming environment. Knowing you have someplace to go and see friends and have a cup of coffee – it’s paramount for our health.”

“The Y is a non-profit and we rely on three revenue sources to offer our services to the community: membership, philanthropy and program fees. Each area supports about one third of our operating budget and it costs about $11,000 a day to operate our Y. To launch this year’s Annual Fund drive, we’re having a party with some fun giveaways on July 8, from 9 to 11 a.m., said Goodwin. “It’s about participation, that’s what’s always been great about the Annual Fund; some people give $2, some $200, the community really comes together.”