[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON YMCA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ALBERT RUSSELL WYNN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 13, 2008

  Mr. WYNN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of America's 
outstanding organizations and one of the Washington Metropolitan area's 
greatest gifts, specifically in the areas that I represent in Prince 
Georges and Montgomery Counties, the Metropolitan Washington YMCA.
  The mission of the YMCA is to ``foster the spiritual, mental and 
physical development of individuals, families and communities according 
to the ideals of inclusiveness, equality and respect for all.'' To that 
end, Madam Speaker:
  The YMCA provides child care, before- and after-school care, summer 
day camp, resident overnight camp, teen camps, youth and adult sports 
leagues, health and wellness programs, teen activities, community 
service programs, swim lessons, aquatic wellness programs, youth and 
family intervention programs, youth leadership clubs, senior health and 
wellness programs, senior social activities and much more.
  Specifically Madam Speaker, I want to honor the YMCA and Camp Letts, 
a 219-acre retreat center founded in 1906 on the majestic Chesapeake 
Bay.
  With children and campers from all over the country and counselors 
from all over the world, YMCA Camp Letts is truly a global community 
promoting tolerance, inclusion and diversity among all its visitors and 
staff members while providing a safe environment for children to make 
friends, participate in activities, and have a great time.
  Madam Speaker, Camp Letts specializes in the field of recreation with 
an emphasis on youth development. The diverse staff representing over 
20 countries model and teach the YMCA's core values of ``Honesty, 
Caring, Respect and Responsibility.''
  It all began in 1906, when YMCA Boys Work Director Albert M. Chesley 
pitched camp on five acres along the South River, initiating what is 
now the oldest organized resident camp in the Washington area. The camp 
moved in 1922 to its present location, thanks to the generosity of John 
Cowen Letts, and today youngsters from the Baltimore-Washington area 
and beyond flock to this secure and exciting environment to kindle 
friendships and master new skills--all the while learning more about 
themselves, their peers and the world in which they live.
  This 219-acre peninsula has miles of wooded trails for hiking, 
horseback riding, and nature discovery; vast green fields for a variety 
of team sports; tennis courts; an olympic-sized swimming pool, 
sailboats and small craft; certified nets, balls, racquets, hoops and 
targets for various sports; and much more to enjoy a broad selection of 
aquatic, land-based and waterfront activities.
  In addition to providing numerous recreational activities for youth 
and families, the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, under the steadfast 
leadership of Angie L. Reese-Hawkins, is the leading human service 
organization and the largest provider of child care in the greater 
Washington area, serving over 30,000 children each year.
  Under Mrs. Reese-Hawkins's leadership, the YMCA of Metropolitan 
Washington is the 17th largest YMCA association in North America, with 
operating revenue of $46 million, and 84,000 individual and family 
members in a service area of 4 million people.
  Today, the Metropolitan Washington YMCA has 17 branches and program 
centers that touch close to 250,000 lives a year in the District of 
Columbia, northern Virginia and suburban Maryland. Almost 3,400 
volunteers--an increase of 10 percent over 2005--served the YMCA of 
Metropolitan Washington in 2006.
  During 2006 the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington raised $1.1 million 
in its annual sustaining Building Bridges Campaign and gave out over 
$2.13 million in financial assistance to more than 12,500 families and 
individuals, enabling them to participate in child care, after-school 
and camp programs, membership, wellness, therapeutic and senior 
services throughout the metropolitan area.
  Madam Speaker, how lucky we are to have the YMCA and its committed 
staff working to improve opportunities for all children, but 
particularly those in the Metropolitan Washington area.




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