YMCA Raises Funds for Its Programs

The local YMCA has raised $85,000 this spring to continue providing educational and recreation programs.

“Our goal is not to turn anyone down due to an inability to pay,” said Melani Fulgham, officer manager of the Camarillo YMCA. About 25% of families with kids enrolled in YMCA programs received some type of financial assistance, she said.

Technicolor Video Services in Camarillo donated $12,500, and Imation Corp. gave more than $5,000. Other companies operating in Ventura County that made donations of more than $1,000 include Weyerhaeuser Co., Amgen, 20th Century Insurance and Procter & Gamble.

The Camarillo YMCA does not have its own recreational center, but schools within the Pleasant Valley Elementary School District host its day-care, sports and craft programs. A couple of days a week during the summer, the children and staff visit out-of-town amusement parks, beaches and museums. YMCA’s summer camp costs about $300 a month for children ages 5 to 12.

During the school year, YMCA staffers host a blend of educational and fun activities for kids of working parents. About 1,400 families enroll their elementary and middle school children in the programs.

Wendy Morrison, whose children Dillon, 10, and Kelly, 6, have been involved with YMCA most of their lives, said it’s worth the cost. “I am so grateful that I can have my kids safe and taken care of,” she said.