Albemarle Family YMCA Executive Director Eli Dowell wants residents to see the broader picture of the services the “Y” provides the community. That role extends far beyond a swimming pool and gym, he says.
“I think that we’re always trying to tell our story, because a lot of people don’t know that we do more than just swim and gym,” he said. “I think that health is more than just the physical, it’s the mental and it’s the emotional, and giving people and youth the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Dowell was speaking during a recent episode of The Daily Advance’s podcast, “Voices of the Albemarle.”
The director grew up in the Hampton Roads region and at age 22 worked a spell at the Salvation Army Community Center in Norfolk. From there, he went to work at the YMCA in Windsor, Virginia, where he began working his way through several branches until landing in Elizabeth City.
“I did aquatics and fitness [in Windsor], and then I had the opportunity to go to Charlottesville, Virginia,” Dowell said. “I’m from this area [and] my parents [were] like, it’s time for you to come back home. We miss having you around.”
The epicenter of the local YMCA activity is South Hampton Roads YMCA, Dowell said. Regionally, the Y has 25 locations.
Like many nonprofits, the YMCA also has tiered membership fees. However, according to Dowell, the agency refuses to let that keep it from reaching all corners of the community.
“Our open doors program is our financial assistance programs, which makes the Y accessible for all, and we don’t create barriers,” he said. “And so the impact fund is what we call it…[We] make sure that these programs are accessible to families, and to kids for camp and swim lessons. So we raise that money to fill in the gap where we lose [it] as well.”
With those funds and membership fees, they are able to provide programs for community learning and betterment. The Y offers sports, music, dance and art programs to encourage creativity and teamwork alongside physical and mental well-being for children and teens.
The local Y also has decided to restart a program to help those battling cancer.
“[Live Strong] is a research-based cancer program for individuals who are currently battling cancer,” Dowell said. “It’s a free program, and so they’re in there to, you know, to get back their physical, their mental [health] and be around individuals who can that are just going through the same thing as them.”
Dowell said the program was discontinued for a while, but staff are reintroducing it with the help of Sentara Health.
“Sentara is one of the biggest health providers in this area,” Dowell said. “So, we want to walk alongside them to help our community. Because that’s their goal, is to help the community and make sure that they’re healthy. So we want to stand with our community partners and see how we can work alongside them.”
Dowell said they’re also looking at program expansion based on the needs found in Sentara’s Community Health Assessment. This, he explained, is what it’s really about for him and everyone at the YMCA.
“When you go to certain [YMCAs], they might have certain programs that we don’t have because that’s what their community likes and serves,” he said. “We are all about what the community wants and what they need.”
To hear more about the Albemarle Family YMCA’s programs and community commitment, listen to episode 26 of “Voices of the Albemarle.” All episodes are streaming through Apple Podcasts, Spotify and the podcast’s Buzzsprout page at https://voicesofthealbemarle.buzzsprout.com.