Kentucky Derby 2025

Dear Friend of the YMCA,

Whenever our community is faced with a crisis, whenever we see a neighbor who needs support, our Y stands ready to help with open arms and caring hearts. Thanks to generous donors like you, The Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA is doing BIG things in our region- providing safe, nurturing spaces for children to learn, grow, and thrive.

Because we know that you share a passion for this community, we are excited to invite you to this Annual Kentucky Derby event. The 2024 event successfully raised $133,000 in support of programming and an endowment to further expand these critical services.

Our YMCA has recently increased capacity for feeding programs and much-needed child care services to address some of our biggest challenges. The Kentucky Derby event has been part of the catalyst of growth for the Y, allowing us to:

• Proudly serve working families at six different child care sites in Luzerne County
• Provide over 188,000 healthy meals and snacks to over 990 children and youth in just one year
• Ensure high quality care, now hosting four Keystone STAR 4 child care branches
• Continue to expand into new communities as we work collectively to ensure the best services and outreach for our area

Sincerely,
Lissa Bryan-Smith
&
Connie Scott
Kentucky Derby Co-Chairs

Jim Thomas
CEO GWVA YMCA