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They pitched a tent along the Linn Creek, they pitched their tent right by our front door and they tried to hang a hammock from our flag pole (rejected).
Did you hear about the massive sleepover we held at the Y for several hundred people?
Oh, you may have heard Marshalltown hosted the overnight stop at RAGBRAI on July 22 and the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA played a huge role in welcoming thousands to town. The area around the Y was the main campground for the bike ride and we gladly hosted riders from throughout the country. It seemed by the afternoon nearly every piece of available grass in our lawn was being utilized.
To our knowledge, no other YMCA in Iowa has been the site of the main campground for RAGBRAI. But hosting a few thousand people at our Y is not new to our staff and volunteers, and we were ready to take on this challenge when asked. A few staff noted that spectators for the state swim meets used to pitch tents in our yard so they could be first in line for the event.
Popular that day for RAGBRAI at the Y were our showers and a pulled pork and pasta meal served up in our gym, which was devoured by hungry riders after their trek from Boone. With full bellies, the riders seemed to sleep peacefully, even with the occasional passing train horns. In the morning, they left our grounds clean and in good condition.
Events like RAGBRAI give the Y a chance to partner with other community organizations and celebrate the people who make our communities strong. It also demonstrates that the Y is more than a facility; it is a community partner committed to helping everyone connect, belong and thrive.
Thank you to everyone who made our big sleepover a success, including volunteers and staff, as well as our community partners. Community has been at the core of what the Y does as we celebrate 150 years of serving Marshalltown this year. Yes, we started in 1876! We are so proud of our community and proud to be an integral part of it!
Kim Jass-Ramirez is CEO and Andrew Potter is Marketing & Communications Director with the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA.