The Myers Family to Be Honored at Forever in Blue Jeans

On Friday, November 16, an expected 800 members of the community will gather at the Aqua Turf Club for an evening of dinner, dancing and fundraising to benefit the Southington Community YMCA’s Annual Support Campaign. This year’s event is uniquely special, as it is also the official community farewell to the Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA’s Executive Director, John Myers, who is retiring at the end of this year after 31 years of service. The evening will be highlighted with a special presentation to the Myers Family who are being honored as this year’s Compass Award recipients.

“We anticipate this year’s event to be extraordinary,” said Mark Pooler, Director of Operations for the Southington Community YMCA. “Not only do we expect record-setting attendance, which hopefully translates to record-setting fundraising; but the event is also a celebration of John Myers – recognizing his 31 years of service to this community. This is an opportunity for members of the community to come together to help raise money for a great cause and say ‘thank you’ and ‘farewell’ to John,” continued Pooler.

Premier companies like ConnectiCare have come on board to support this year’s event. “We proudly support programs that enhance our communities,” said Eric Galvin, President of ConnectiCare. “The Y engages people in living a healthy lifestyle. This aligns with ConnectiCare’s focus on building healthier futures for Connecticut residents.”

The evening is marked with a special presentation to a family the YMCA’s Board of Directors has selected to be recognized for their work in the Southington community. “The 13th Annual Compass Award is designed to highlight a family we feel deserves special mention at such a large community event,” said YMCA Board of Directors President, Dan Daigle. “It simply makes sense that we present the Myers Family with the award this year. The Myers Family lives and breathes the YMCA’s core values and serves as a compass for our community. They embody what this award is all about, including respect, responsibility, honesty caring, and of course, FUN! We couldn’t be more excited to present this year’s award to them,” continued Daigle.

When they learned about this recognition, members of the family, including John, his wife Moira, and children Jack and Catherine, were surprised and honored. “We love this community.” According to John and Moira, “We’ve raised our family here and simply try to make it a place that families are proud to call home.”

According to Community Development Director, Shannon Eterginio, this year’s event is expected to draw a record-setting 800 people to raise an estimated $80,000. “Proceeds benefit the Southington Community YMCA’s annual community support campaign so that we can be sure everyone in town – regardless of age, income or background – has the opportunity to grow and thrive at the Y,” said Eterginio.

“The Y is a cause aimed at strengthening our community,” continued Eterginio. This past summer – the Southington Y provided scholarships to more than 100 children so they could attend camp. By the end of this year, 36 cancer survivors will have participated in the Y’s free LIVESTRONG program, which helps cancer survivors get strong and healthy. The Y in the Afternoon Outreach Program serves 35-50 kids a day in at-risk neighborhoods in town to be sure those kids get help with homework, physical activity and a healthy snack. And more!

The list of services the Y provides to ensure a healthy, happy community continues. According to Eterginio, “We never want to turn anyone away from our Y for financial reasons. We work tirelessly to be sure this doesn’t happen. This year’s event is going to be a lot of fun for a great cause.”

FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS CRYSTAL GALA – TICKETS ON SALE!
DATE: Friday, November 16
TIME: 6:00 p.m. – midnight
LOCATION: The Aqua Turf Club
TICKETS: www.sccymca.org or at the YMCA’s front desk
QUESTIONS: Shannon Eterginio 860.426.9510 or seterginio@sccymca.org