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We’ve all seen that commercial around this time of year.

The person runs out to their driveway to see their gift of a new car is there – resplendent with a giant red bow.

Talk about a wow factor (and someone with way more of a holiday gift budget than me!)

But, what if the gift you gave didn’t get that immediate impact?

What if that gift made smiles for decades to come instead of just that one moment?

That’s what giving to a place like the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA is all about. The Y provides those wow moments throughout the year and we see plenty of smiles throughout our facilities.

We love to see young children hurry excitedly into the Y for swim lessons, dance, basketball practice, or to play ping pong with their dad. I see it all the time and sometimes they are so excited to get into the Y that we have to tell them to slow down a bit.

The pools, the state-of-the-art exercise equipment, programs and the powerful community we’ve built here at the Y were all made possible because someone gave to the Y. Yes, the cost of a Y membership helps, but major impacts are made because of donations to the Y. Think of how lucky we are that Virginia Horne-Henry gave to the Y more than 25 years ago so we can have the amazing Horne-Henry Center that Marshalltown is so proud of today.

I give tours to new members all the time and many say how cool it is that a town the size of Marshalltown can have this type of facility.

Here is where you come in. Any donation to our Y Annual Campaign ensures that we can continue to offer programming for a whole community, provide youth scholarships and more.

We never turn anyone away from the Y for the inability to pay and provide a safe space for people to come together, no matter their age or background.

There are also ways to give stock, a portion of an estate or just an outright gift to the Y through our Heritage Club as well.

Thinking about giving, but would like more guidance? Reach out to me at the Y at 641-752-8658, email andrew.potter@ymca-ywca.org or visit www.ymca-ywca.org/donate.

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Andrew Potter is the Marketing and Communications Director with the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA.