November 2024

KOHEI YAMADA

FROM THE CHAIR

I worked for YMCAs for nearly 40 years. It was not my choice; when I applied for work, only the YMCA selected me from among many organizations. I was a student studying social work in the USA, and I applied to many welfare organizations before I had to return to Japan.



As my first work experience, I enjoyed leading YMCA senior physical fitness classes. Every day, morning and afternoon, I organized fitness classes for the elderly in various church halls. It was a short-term job before I returned back to Japan. After returning back to Japan, I decided to work for the YMCA in Japan as well, not as a fitness instructor but as a professional staff member.

Since then, I worked in four different YMCAs within Japan as well as heading the Asia and the Pacific Alliance of YMCAs Office in Hong Kong. That office had contact with various Asian YMCAs. Also, I attended many World YMCA meetings, so I enjoy friendship from around the world.

The retirees from various countries decided to gather in 1994 for the first time and called this group World Fellowship of YMCA Retirees (WFYR). Since then, every four years, WFYR members meet together at the same time and venue as the World Council. We invite YMCA retirees from many different countries. The last gathering was held in September 2022 in Aarhus, Denmark. Our 8th WFYR Conference will be held in Toronto, Canada, from July 19 to 23, 2026. Let’s be ready for these great gatherings of retired global co-workers. We learn from each other and we enjoy sharing our joy and mission of the YMCA world movement.

It must be a priority for WFYR members to maintain and share the history of the YMCA in their country. I am pleased to provide the following activities by JFYR volunteers for the Society of Historical Studies of YMCA prepared by JFYR member Shinya Honda

The Society of Historical Studies of YMCA was established in 1997 by the Retirees and senior YMCA secretaries from various YMCAs in Japan. YMCA movements in Japan will celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2030. During those 150 years, we have experienced very difficult times of war in which we realized the importance of our mission of peace and internationalism within the society as YMCA.

It is very important to keep and interpret our actions and decisions for the future generations. The history and its interpretation by the senior YMCA retirees would provide wisdom and hints for the decision making of the recent and future leadership.

Right now, we have 65 individual members and 14 organizational members such as YMCA itself in this historical society of YMCAs. We have met four times a year and individual members present their historical studies of their own YMCA or activities in the YMCA. We recently had the 100th presentation gathering on September 12, 2024. The Tokyo YMCA, the first YMCA in Japan, has its own archives which was the basis of the YMCA Historical Society. 

The president of the Historical Society of YMCA is Mr. Minoru Saito who, after his retirement in 1994, often went to the YMCA Library to organize its historical documents. He is now 97 years old and still continues to come to the library three times a week. He says, “The YMCA is a movement of good activities in our society based on Christian values. In that sense, it is not the same as the other organizations; our history of the YMCA has shown our Christian spirit and its breath. We need to hand over such tradition to the next generations.”

Above photo: Minoru Saito, Japan YMCA Historical Society President at the Tokyo YMCA Archives.

LEN AND JOYCE WILSON

THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITORS

This edition of Bridges provides a glimpse of Y retiree activities happening worldwide. Our Chair, Kohei Yamada, remembers his early start in his nearly 40-year YMCA career. Shinya Hondo, a JFYR member, also introduced us to the Society of Historical Studies of YMCA, established by retirees and senior YMCA secretaries from various YMCAs in Japan. Notably, Y retirees around the world are becoming involved in similar projects.

We also introduce WFYR’s newest representative to the USA’s YMCA Alumni governing board. Helene Weir has a 40-year career with Y associations in Canada and the USA. Don’t miss the link to read about her recent and inspiring experience with youth and the YMCA in Romania. It provides refugee support to Ukrainians who fled their country in the early days of the war with Russia.

Tielines, the Canadian YMCA Alumni newsletter, continues to provide an informative and professional overview of its activities. Their President, Janet Giles, was recently inducted into Canada’s prestigious YMCA Fellowship of Honor. She commented on the importance of staying committed to their history project. Readers will be interested in learning more about Canada’s Shine On Brand awareness campaign.

Y’s Retired of the UK provides accounts of fellowship and another slice of their history when remembering The Venturer Scheme. Alicia Sanjurjo provides us with accounts of a historic swimming event and a retiree gathering in Argentina.

Conflicts worldwide require YMCAs to render extraordinary service for their communities. Y retirees stay involved and help spread the word to generate support. This issue of Bridges provides information and details on the two Jerusalem YMCAs being impacted by the continuing warfare in the Middle East.

Lou Falk, YMCA Alumni member in the U.S.,has led successful campaigns to raise funds to build family housing projects in the Dominican Republic and at a Native American reservation in the U.S. In this issue, he heralds the work. He requests financial support for the Jerusalem International YMCA (JIY) to help fund a gala Christmas event for orphans to receive gifts and cheer during the holiday season.

Norris Lineweaver, former WFY Chair and former Director of JIY, also provides an endorsement of JIY’s current leadership and an excellent overview of the Y’s responses since the war in Gaza began last year.

Bonnie Mairs, an active member of WFYR’s Secours Speciaux committee, provides our readers with a historical overview and activities of the East Jerusalem YMCA during the current conflict.

Deb Zvanut, an active participant in World Service, YMCA Alumni, and home-building projects, provides a moving account of her recent trip to Tijuana, Mexico. She worked with a team of USA YMCA Alumni and volunteers to provide clothing, sundries, and love for children left behind at the U.S. border crossings.

In the U.S., we are still recovering from an intense presidential election heavily influenced by social media. One can only hope and pray that our YMCAs, their retirees, and our nation stand tall and resolute for the neediest among us in the years ahead.

Members of WFYR around the world are invited and encouraged to quickly submit Christmas and New Year’s greetings for a special holiday edition of Bridges planned for mid-December. Family, community and special Y-event photos from past years are appropriate. You are encouraged to provide holiday greetings in your own language and highlight customs for celebrating the season.Send greetings HERE.

HELENE WEIR

YMCA ROMANIA AND WORK WITH UKRANIAN REFUGEES

I firmly believe that one of the YMCA’s greatest strengths is our presence in 120 countries around the world. No matter where you go or who you meet we have a bond, a connection and a family that is unique to the YMCA. The work may look a little different in different countries but the mission is similar and the impact is undeniable.

Throughout my 40-year YMCA staff career, I have participated in International partnerships in Malaysia, Bogota, Colombia, and Ukraine. I have also participated in several World Councils, the World Urban Network, and a variety of other global meetings and events. These experiences have truly enriched my YMCA career and, now, my YMCA volunteer experience.

Since retiring I have become involved with WFYR and I have been volunteering for Y-USA World Service in providing support to YMCA Ukraine, YMCA Romania as well as fundraising for the Y-USA World Service campaign.

The YMCA international partnerships are an important part of what makes us a unique non-profit and the special relationships we develop with people in other countries become part of our YMCA family.



In September I had the opportunity to visit YMCA Romania for the first time. I had visited Ukraine a number of times before the Russian invasion but I have not been able to do so since the war began. The YMCA in Romania, like in some other former Soviet Union countries, is rebuilding and re-establishing itself as a significant NGO in the country.

JANET GILES, FRANCO SAVOIA

CANADA Y'S 'SHINE ON' BRANDING

Following is a reprint of a story on the Canada YMCA brand awareness campaign from TIELINES, the Canada YMCA Alumni magazine:

The YMCA's new brand campaign launched September 15. It was a special day for the YMCA as we launched our first-ever national "Shine On" brand awareness campaign.

This campaign, which began with the YMCA of Greater

Toronto, is now expanding nationwide, spreading our message of belonging, support, and empowerment to every corner of the country through TV, streaming, and digital platforms.

The campaign emphasizes the importance of belonging, meaningful employment, and physical and mental health. It conveys that no matter the obstacles or setbacks, the Y is a welcoming place that offers support, positivity, and guidance, empowering individuals to achieve their full potential.

Click HERE to watch the full-length campaign video.

This will amplify our efforts to connect more people to the Y — at a time when they need our critical programs and supports more than ever. It will also highlight the life-changing difference the Y can make in people’s lives, showing potential donors the incredible impact they can help make possible by giving to our charity.

The YMCAs of Quebec, with the support of Publicis, adapted the Obstacles campaign platform to better reflect the Y’s unique offering and impact in the province. The result is a bilingual campaign – Let your potential Shine On (in French: Brillez à votre plein potentiel) which will be airing in Quebec. The centerpiece of the Quebec campaign is a 60-second video.

Click HERE to watch the Quebec Y's 60-second video.

As we embark on this exciting journey, keep your eyes and ears open for the campaign, share it on social media and tell your friends and family. You deserve to be proud of the impact you’ve made in both your own life and the lives of others by being part of the Y. Let’s celebrate the start of something great.

Click HERE to visit the public "Shine On" campaign web page.

Janet Giles is President of Canada YMCA Alumni. Franco Savoia is Canada YMCA representative to WFYR.

ALICIA SANJURJO

ARGENTINA GATHERING, SWIM MEET

The newly formed Argentinian Retirees Group met in September at the oldest restaurant in Buenos Aires, a place full of history . Photo L-R: Anibal Pastorella, Elba Vives, Daniel La Moglie, Sara Dodero, Alberto Rosende, Eduardo Rodríguez, Luis Zamar, Alicia Sanjurjo, Horacio Moavro Claudio Bargach.

The now traditional "24 hours Argentinean YMCA Relay Swim" took place in three YMCA swimming pools as a project aiming to promote physical activity as an important factor in well-being.

This activity, created by Professor Tito Gallaro almost 30 years ago, has become an important event. This year, 22 teams participated and altogether swam 1.791.050 meters in 24 hours. Prizes were won for the Winning team, for the 30 minutes fastest swimmer, for the non-stop fastest 2 hours swimmer, etc.

All the participants were extremely satisfied with the organization and are willing to participate in the next competition, the 30th edition of the YMCA 24 hours. Well done Y swimmers.

GRAHAM CLARK

UNITED KINGDOM'S FALL COLORS

We have just returned from a visit to the Westonbirt Arboretum near Tetbury in Gloucestershire (photo above). It is a wonderful place to visit at any time of year with its collection of 1,200 trees spread over 600 acres, but it is especially worth a visit in the autumn when the autumnal colours are at their best.

Particularly spectacular are the Japanese Maples which become bright red before their leaves fall. Whilst New England in the USA is noted for its "Fall Colors," Westonbirt and places like it are good alternatives.

The autumn colours, wherever they are, remind us of the ever-changing seasons of life. The changing of seasons is both a time of a sense of loss for what has been and anticipation for what will be! The reds and golds of autumn make us nostalgic for the warmth of the now past summer sun whilst, at the same time, they are perhaps preparing us for the cosiness a winter in front of the fire that is yet to come.

Retirement is a similar season of beauty. On the one hand, we have the gift of relaxation from the pressures of working life which gives us space and opportunity to look back and remember "the good old days," whilst we are also able to look ahead to times to be shared with family and friends in new ways.

Retirement is not the end of things but a new stage along the journey of life and it is a journey during which we can enrich each other with a friendly message or (where possible) meet up among friends and colleagues who make up Y’s Retired.

It would be great to have more of us to share our journeys with, so do please encourage those whom you know to join us. Enjoy the season.

REMEMBER THE UK VENTURER SCHEME?

While listing documents from the late Jim Lamb, I came across a small booklet entitled "The Venturer Scheme", which the National Council published in the mid-1950s.

It is a three-stage award with the object of "encouraging YMCA members and others where possible to participate in and enjoy the fellowship of camping and allied activities, to raise the standards of camping and to take a greater interest in country life with the ultimate aim of achieving the central purpose of the Young Men’s Christian Association."

Content of the three levels included Christian Knowledge Practice and Leadership, Campcraft, Service, and Programme. Testing was to be carried out at "National, Divisional and local association camps by arrangement with the National Council."

Among other things, the range of knowledge ranged from Knowing and Understanding the Ten Commandments, recognizing four hardwoods and three softwoods by leaves or bark, and knowing where the Union Jack is flown in camp and the correct way to fly it at level 1 to organizing three camp games and swimming 100 yards from a standing or running dive for level 2.

Level 3 required carrying out an expedition of three days duration to the examiner's satisfaction and answering questions "Fellow workmen for God published by the World Alliance."

We would love to hear from you if you know more about this scheme.

--Graham Clarke, Y's Retired, UK President

Top photo: Teens at the Casa YMCA in Tijuana, Mexico pose with gifts from a team of YMCA Alumni International Service Corps leaders. Below: ISC team members, officials from the Mexico and Tijuana and San Diego, CA YMCAs meet to look toward the future.

DEB ZVANUT

USA: INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CORPS

TEAM VISITS MIGRANT TEENS 'CASA'

The YMCA Alumni International Service Corps (ISC) sent a team to visit the Casa YMCA de Menores Migrantes (YMCA House of Migrant Children) in Tijuana,YMCA of Tijuana, Mexico.

The team traveled there in late October to work, share, and learn, hoping that a deeper relationship could be formed, leading to more volunteer opportunities.

These are the migrants who we never hear about: families with children who have crossed into the U.S. where the parents have proper documentation, but the children do not. The children are sent back to Mexico, and the parents continue to the U.S. The government sends these children to the Casa YMCA.

The parents hope to be reunited with their children as soon as the proper documentation is complete. The YMCA staff provides a home, education, and emotional support and works with a lawyer and social worker to complete all the needed paperwork. 

The children hail from Haiti, Ecuador, and Guatemala. One girl has been there for just five weeks, while another has been there for two years.

One of my International commitments is participating in YMCA programs and opportunities that foster peace and understanding. I signed up to help the teen migrants in the Casa YMCA. We got donations of clothing and shoes for the teens who come to the shelter with very few items. I also raised $1,000 with help from friends and the Central Atlantic YMCA Alumni chapter.

The group took the teens shopping at Walmart. They bought clothing, pajamas, jackets, shoes, a game, toy or recreational item, snacks, and personal items.

We played Halloween bingo, and the teens loved helping us play because most of us did not know the Spanish names for ghosts, Dracula, or pumpkins.

The night before we left, we had dinner and heard the girls talking about their “pajama party,” and they used their new makeup, put on fake nails, and tried the new curling iron to practice on each other.

We also met with Mexico YMCA CEO Dr. Oscar Velasco, San Diego YMCA CEO Todd Tibbetts, Casa YMCA Director Valeria Ruiz Griego, and two YMCA board members. They shared past accomplishments and dreams for the future and discussed how to build a future relationship with ISC.

--Debbi Zvanut is a member of the YMCA Alumni Central Atlantic chapter.

NORRIS LINEWEAVER, FADI SUIDAN

A JERUSALEM 'BEACON'

Fadi Suidan is a Palestinian Christian from Haifa. Board members took note of his leadership developing and building the Annual Christmas Festival at Jerusalem International YMCA (JIY). 

When the previous CEO, Rana Fahoum, resigned, Fadi was invited to apply. He is a phenomenal writer and visionary and it comes through his command of English as a second language. He wrote the report below. He just hired a new communications staff with web graphic skills who produced the piece in Jerusalem you are about to open.

Fadi was with his family this week harvesting olives from their groves they own in Haifa. They have over 500 olive trees. While they harvested, they could hear the rockets fired from southern Lebanon when they exploded nearby northern Israel.

A recently released, well-crafted report by Fadi Suidan, CEO of the Jerusalem International YMCA, provides a timely update on the JIY's historical role of "fostering inter-faith unity in the heart of a war-torn region." Now, one year since the outbreak of a continuing war, Fadi's report updates us on the Y's ongoing role.

Click the button below to read this very special report, "A Beacon Amidst The Storm."

Norris Lineweaver, member of YMCA Alumni in the U.S., is former WFYR Chair and past Director General of the JIY.

LOU FALK

ORPHAN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY AT JIY

Lou Falk of the U.S. YMCA Alumni’s New England Chapter contacted members to ask them to consider helping Jerusalem International YMCA CEO Fadi Suidan once again conduct a very special Christmas party for orphans this year.

Here is a short excerpt from his letter and another short response from Fadi:

“You and I can affect the future, for today's young children will shape that future. Hope to their hearts that 15-20 years from now might help bring a better understanding and a modicum of real peace to that area of the world.

 Please join Mary and me in supporting the Orphan's Christmas Party, a Jerusalem International YMCA program.”

Upon hearing of the effort, Fadi wrote:

“The Orphan's Christmas Program is one of the most special and heartwarming events we host each year at the Jerusalem International YMCA. We gather hundreds of orphans from convents and orphanages in Jerusalem and Bethlehem and try to give them a few hours of magic. We provide buses to bring these children, along with their caregivers, and we give each child a gift personally handed to them by Santa Claus and an artistic show to lift their spirits.”

This special effort raised over $5,000 for the Orphan’s Christmas Party.

BONNIE MAIRS, PETER NASIR

EAST JERUSALEM YMCA FROM 1878;

INDEPENDENT, VITAL, INTEGRAL

I received this interesting article describing the East Jerusalem YMCA mission. Many of our WFYR community likely know very little about this Y. 

The article can be helpful as we prepare for our May 2025 WFYR Zoom focusing on the Middle East. In our planning meeting, we discussed the sensitivities in dealing with an area of the world with so much tension.

My thinking is that many parts of the Y world have operated successfully (and some do today) in situations of war, political division and high emotion. They have found ways to serve their communities despite extreme challenges. We can focus on the good works of the Lebanese, East and West Jerusalem Ys.

Please take a moment to read the article by Peter Nasir. You will learn a great deal about how this YMCA has persevered and succeeded in many ways.

Bonnie Mairs is a member of the YMCA Alumni, U.S. McBurney-Morse Chapter and WFYR leader with Secours Speciale. Peter Nasir is Secretary-General of the East Jerusalem YMCA.

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BRIDGES is published with the support of YMCA Alumni of the USA. Editors: Len and Joyce Wilson. Mailing lists by Ken White. Production by Craig Altschul + Associates, Tucson, Arizona, USA