[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 24, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E515-E516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO THE YMCA OF THE FOOTHILLS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 24, 2018

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the YMCA of the 
Foothills in La Canada Flintridge, California upon its 60th 
anniversary.
   In 1952, a small group of community leaders and parents were 
concerned about the lack of positive activities for youth in the 
foothills, and reached out to the Glendale YMCA for assistance in 
offering programs and events. Six years later, in a home in La Canada, 
the Crescenta-Canada Family YMCA opened; later renamed YMCA of the 
Foothills. In 1962, led by civic leaders Jack and Bob Samuelson and 
Scott McDonald, the community built what is now the Crescenta-Canada 
YMCA facility in La Canada. Having grown from an organization based 
around camping, the YMCA of the Foothills has expanded its operation to 
include a variety of programs and community activities with hundreds of 
participants and volunteers.
   The YMCA of the Foothills' mission is to strengthen communities 
through social responsibility, healthy living and youth development, 
and to enrich the quality of life physically, mentally, spiritually and 
socially for all persons. For sixty years, they have done just that, by 
providing children and families with programs ranging from youth 
leadership, such as the Model United Nations program that teaches youth 
about global cooperation, healthy living and spiritual awareness to 
activities for senior citizens. Since the YMCA's inception, almost 
4,000 children have been taught about health and fitness, nearly 5,000 
girls and boys have learned to swim, and over 10,000 hours of emotional 
support have been given to help youth with issues such as childhood 
obesity and suicide prevention.
   A lifeline to the community, the YMCA of the Foothills provides 
resources needed to address critical social issues such as housing, 
substance abuse, child welfare, education and employment. By uniting 
people from all walks of life, the YMCA seeks to motivate a spirit of 
service to be active in and work for positive social change in these 
and other areas of life.
   Today, YMCA of the Foothills has three locations and serves more 
than 40,000 children, teens, families, and seniors in the Sunland, 
Tujunga, Sun Valley and northern Glendale areas, in addition to La 
Canada Flintridge and La Crescenta. Under the leadership of President 
Tyler Wright, programs like the 2018 Arts Initiative that support 
children in their creativity and the Balance and Thrive Initiative to 
teach senior balance fitness have been launched. Additionally, with 
events such as the bike-a-thon, fiesta days and pancake breakfasts, the 
YMCA of the Foothills has become a center for community engagement.
   I am proud to recognize the YMCA of the Foothills for sixty years of 
dedicated service to

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the La Canada Flintridge and La Crescenta communities. I ask all 
Members to join me in congratulating the YMCA of the Foothills for 
their remarkable achievements.

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