Local Voices
Jacqui Steele is Wade Walker Park Family YMCA 2013 volunteer of year
Jacqui Steele, a Stone Mountain resident, is receiving the YMCA of Metro Atlanta’s 2013 Volunteer of the Year award for her service at the Wade Walker Park Family YMCA. Her work will be honored at the annual volunteer recognition dinner Monday, November 4, 2013.
“Jacqui is a founding board member of the Wade Walker Park Family Y,” says Winston Myers, executive director. “She is a tireless volunteer and has an ability to connect the YMCA to public and private partners. Jacqui also leads the annual giving campaign to provide financial assistance for those who express and inability to pay for Y programs. She wants to be informed, so she can be a part of any solution.”
Located at Wade Walker Park on Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain, the Y opened in September 2012. It is a healthy living collaboration with DeKalb County.
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“There is not another organization like this in our area,” says Steele. “Kids, families and older adults all have a place to call their own. It is a great collaboration with the county, and we are developing relationships with other agencies and local groups. I appreciate that the Y is affordable and accessible to all who want to get involved.”
“It’s great to see children enjoying themselves in a secure, supervised environment,” she says. “The Y offers opportunities for socializing as well as exercising. It is nice to have children and teens relax, have fun, meet friends, complete school work, and participate in activities with positive adult role models. It is a safe haven for many in our community.”
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Steele is president of Steele Program Managers, LLC. Her community involvement also includes her homeowner’s association board, Leadership DeKalb, Juvenile Court Citizens Panel Review Board, and DeKalb Volunteers in Police Services.
The Y is a powerful association of men, women and children joined together by a shared commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility. Every day, we work side-by-side with our neighbors to make sure everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and connect. Call 678-781-9622 or visit http://www.ymcaatlanta.org.