For Decades, His Will Has Led the Y

Eighty-seven-year-old Bob Mercer is an inspiration to employees and members of the Mid Valley branch of the YMCA in Van Nuys, where he has volunteered for 56 years. He passed on his dedication to his son, David, who in 1989 became the YMCA’s national director.

Fit and lean, the 6-foot, 150-pound elder Mercer works out three times a week at the Y in Van Nuys and spends hundreds of hours a year volunteering and raising money for the nonprofit community service organization.

“Lately, I just call people and tell them it’s that time of year to help out,” Mercer said recently. “The Y is funded 90% by people who use the Y, but the last 10% is vital, and that comes from donations. To me, the Y means good, meaningful programs that benefit people’s lives.”

Mercer joined the YMCA at the age of 9 in his hometown of Seattle, going to camps and taking swimming lessons. When his family moved to Glendale in the 1930s, he strayed from the Y for a decade. Eventually, he landed a job at Lockheed in Burbank, where he worked as a manager for 41 years.

He rejoined the YMCA in 1945, and began volunteering. He started the first Indian Guides program in the West, said Ruben Corona, executive director of the Mid Valley branch. Mercer said he started the local program to spend more time with David, who was 7. David’s involvement in Indian Guides, which is based on respect for strong family and community ties, sent him on a career path that led to his selection as national executive director.

“My dad was the big influence that got me started,” said David Mercer, 63, who retired two years ago. “My dad has spent so much time volunteering at the Y because he believes the Y does a lot of good for the community and produced a great career for his son.”

Besides his work with the Indian Guides, the elder Mercer has spent countless hours taking children to sporting events and operating a Christmas tree lot that earned thousands of dollars for the YMCA.

These days, his main task is raising money and providing amenities for the Mid Valley branch on Lennox Avenue, which has more than 6,000 members, Corona said.

“It’s like the other day,” said Eva Reifschneider, the family program director, “I told him the new ladies’ locker room was nice but kind of drab. The next day he brought in a bunch of colorful framed prints for us. His heart is into the YMCA. He cares.”