Missoula YMCA lands $500K gift as campaign advances

(Missoula Current) An anonymous gift given in honor of the YMCA's original CEO will help the Missoula-based organization move closer to wrapping up its capital campaign.

The Missoula YMCA has raised more than $15 million thus far in a quest to raise $19.3 million by the end of the year. A $500,000 gift given this week came as welcome news for the organization.

The gift was given anonymously on behalf of Pat Dodson, the Y's original CEO.

“We are absolutely blown away by the support this community has shown our Y,” said Heather Foster, CEO of the Missoula Family YMCA. “Right now, we need to raise the final $3.9 million by December to bring the full project to fruition.”

Foster said many parts of the Y's master plan for its campus off South Russell Street are fully funded, including the new child care center, remodeled locker rooms and remodeled fitness spaces.

But several parts of the project remain only partially funded including a new Youth Innovation Center, a new community court and a remodeled indoor pool area. The latest give will help remodel the Y's “Blue Gym,” which was adapted to smaller children.

“When I first started in 1971, Missoula had tried to start a YMCA two or three times,” Dodson said in a statement. “The town didn’t think the Y would make it, and that was incentive for me to make sure the Y made it.”

The YMCA Here for Good project has netted more than 700 donors, officials said.