By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Inglis Mayor Michael White Tuesday tossed out the idea of building the county’s first YMCA on a vacant parcel of land at the South Levy Recreational Park using CARES Act money.

            Appearing at the Levy County Commission meeting, White said a YMCA would provide many activities for young people in the county that currently don’t exist.

            He said a 30-40 acre parcel of vacant land connected to a baseball field at the South Levy Recreational Park would provide ample space to build a YMCA satellite that would serve upwards of 400 or more kids in the county.

            White said the preliminary plan would be to possibly approach other cities including Yankeetown and Otter Creek about contributing CARES Act funding for the project. The county commission might give matching funds.

            “I just wanted to put a bug in your ear and introduce myself to see if we can’t work together and get something pointed in that direction,” White said. “We have the South Levy baseball field and there’s a whole part of that field on one side, like 40 acres or 30 acres, something like that, we can try to put some type of satellite “Y” for the community,” he said.

            Commissioners, who are just starting their annual budget process for the 2021-22 spending cycle, listened attentively and asked a few questions but made no commitment to the proposed project.

            White said Inglis has received $566,000 in CARES funding, Yankeetown about $220,000. He also envisioned Otter Creek being part of the project and combining the CARES Act money of all three for a YMCA.

            He acknowledged that the federal government continues to change the guidelines for how the coronavirus economic relief money (CARES) can be spent, but holds hope it can be used for a YMCA.

            White and fellow City Commissioner Joyce Schwing said they are hopeful they can drum up support for building a YMCA.

            Commission Chairman John Meeks asked if the south Levy YMCA would be in partnership with Citrus County’s YMCA or would it be a stand-alone project for Levy County.

            “I think they’re funded all on their own,” White said. “The dividing line is kind of the Withlacoochee River. They’re picking a lot of people from the south and we are pulling a lot of people from Dunnellon and Chiefland,” he said.

            Inglis City Commissioner Joyce Schwing, who works for YMCA Suncoast, which extends from Citrus County to Pinellas County, said Suncoast serves five counties, but Inglis is unique, “because we have Citrus on one side (of the river) and Levy on the other.”

            She said most of the people using the YMCA Citrus are driving 35 miles. She has started a program at the Inglis community center that’s going well but she said parents are looking for more activities for their young children and teenagers.

            “We felt our area is centrally located and the ball field would be a great place to put a small satellite YMCA to start the community center,” she said.

            Commissioner Mike Joyner asked if the YMCA consists mostly of volunteers. Schwing said it consists of paid staff and volunteers.

            She said the YMCA is a non-profit organization that can be funded by donations and by an annual giving campaign.

            “Nobody’s turned away from the YMCA, so anyone can go to a YMCA. The more important thing we’re interested in is a pool. Florida is surrounded by water. There are lakes everywhere. We have a lot of youth who need to learn how to swim,” she said. “One of the main things I contribute to as an employee; I have $65 that goes from every paycheck to the YMCA to pay for swimming lessons for children. So many children cannot afford that. If we can teach them to swim, we have saved their life.”

            She said the YMCA has other employees like her that give money back to the organization, YMCA members that give money, and accountants who work with people that give money from estates or who want to give money from life insurance policies.

            Land for the Citrus YMCA was donated by a family, but the community built the facility. She said doubters didn’t think it could be done, but they did it.

            “It’s very exciting, so Levy County doesn’t have that and we thought it would be a great asset to Levy County  and it really does help communities and families. “It’s about friends, relationships, which we all need at this time, especially right now.”

 She said it’s also about having fun.

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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting May 18, 2021; Posted May 18, 2021