YMCA BREAKS GROUND ON MAJOR EXPANSION AT QUAKERTOWN BRANCH

QUAKERTOWN – River Crossing YMCA hosted community leaders, donors and guests today for a celebrational groundbreaking to expand space, programs and services on Wed. Nov. 12 at its Quakertown branch. The event marks a milestone for the Raise Up Our Youth campaign to uplift the well-being of the Upper Bucks County community.

“This groundbreaking represents more than construction,” said Debbie Sontupe, chief development officer for River Crossing YMCA, kicking off the event. “It represents commitment to our youth who need a safe place to grow and teens who need support. Thank you for joining us for this very special day.”

Guests at yesterday’s groundbreaking included staffers from Senator Coleman’s Office and Representative Craig Staat’s office, along with YMCA staff, members and volunteers who have been leading the campaign.

The Raise Up Our Youth campaign focuses on expanding wellness and connection opportunities for individuals and families in the Upper Bucks region. The $3.5 million renovation will provide the resources for facility improvements, and help remove barriers to community participation by providing financial assistance to all who qualify, and includes:

New State-of-the-Art Gymnastics Center: Expanding access to youth athletics, recreation, and confidence-building programs.
Additional Gymnasium & Field House: Providing a safe, supervised hub for sports, after-school programs, and community gatherings.
Expanded Community Impact Programs: Serving veterans, cancer survivors, seniors, adults at risk for chronic disease, and individuals with differing abilities.

“This vision started with a simple idea,” explained Zane Moore, president/CEO of River Crossing YMCA. “That Quakertown deserves a space where every child can thrive. We are not just expanding space. We are expanding opportunities, where kids and teens will find mentors, friends and confidence, and families will connect, feel welcome and grow stronger together.”

Expanding the gymnastics center from a 6,000 to 13,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, complete with a large foam pit, will allow the Y to accommodate children currently on waitlists for gymnastics classes, programs and teams.

“Beyond gymnastics skills, gymnasts in the programs and on the team develop confidence, learn teamwork, perseverance, and a strong sense of accomplishment — skills that last a lifetime,” shared Allyson Fox, senior vice president of operations for the Upper Bucks region of the Y.

The second gym will allow the Y to expand youth/adult basketball leagues and classes, new pickleball courts and additional space for adult volleyball. Having a second gym also enables the Y to foster relationships with local sports teams who often need indoor athletic space to rent for training and tournaments.

“This project has been a labor of love,” shared Dave Freeman, president/CEO of QNB Bank Corp. and lead donor to the Raise Up Our Youth campaign. “My family has seen firsthand what the Y does for kids and parents here. It changes lives. It’s been deeply inspiring to work alongside others who care deeply about Quakertown.”

The Raise Up Our Youth campaign kicked off in April of last year and has raised $2.7 million toward its $3.5 million goal. The Y hopes yesterday’s groundbreaking event will spur the support needed to achieve the funding goal.

The impetus for the campaign is the ongoing youth mental health crisis, exacerbated by dependency on social media and a lack of healthy social connections. The 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey cites 37% of students in Bucks County, ages 11-18, reported “feeling sad or depressed MOST days in the past 12 months.” The 2023 U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory report on social media and mental health reports that 46% of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their body image.

“Today is just the beginning,” Cheri Freeh, chief volunteer officer of the Y’s Upper Bucks regional advisory board, told attendees. “As we build this incredible space, we continue to welcome the community to join us in shaping what comes next.” Freeh invited attendees to consider contributing to the branch’s community mosaic, which will feature donor and family names on tiles purchased in support of the campaign.

“Thank you for being here. Thank you for believing in this vision, and thank you for investing in our community’s future,” Freeh concluded.

The Raise Up Our Youth campaign continues to raise money as construction continues through 2026, with anticipated completion of projects in early 2027. Readers can learn more about the project and campaign at https://www.ymcarivercrossing.org/giving/quakertown-project.

River Crossing YMCA (formerly YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon Counties and Greater Valley YMCA) is a charitable, nonprofit organization committed to strengthening communities through membership and programs that foster youth development, healthy living and social responsibility for all. Annually, the Y serves over 142,000 members and participants at its 12 member branches, 12 early childhood centers, 20 summer camp locations and 44 school age child care programs. River Crossing YMCA provides over $12 million of community impact annually in the form of financial assistance to individuals and families in need and free programming for veterans, cancer survivors, older adults and more. To learn more visit ymcarivercrossing.org.

Left: Allyson Fox, SVP of operations for the Upper Bucks region of River Crossing YMCA, thanked guests for their generosity and support of the Raise Up Our Youth campaign to expand the Quakertown branch at the Nov. 12 groundbreaking event. (Photo courtesy of River Crossing YMCA)

Left: Dave Freeman, president/CEO of QNB Bank Corp. and lead donor of the Raise Up Our Youth campaign, talked to guests about the importance of creating safe, supportive and engaging spaces and opportunities for families in the Upper Bucks community at the Nov. 12 groundbreaking event at River Crossing YMCA’s Quakertown branch. (Photo courtesy of River Crossing YMCA)

Left: Cheri Freeh, chief volunteer officer of River Crossing YMCA’s Upper Bucks regional advisory board, signed the construction beam kicking off the next era of River Crossing YMCA in Quakertown. Guests at the groundbreaking ceremony were all invited to sign the beam, denoting the community’s support for the Raise Up Our Youth campaign. (Photo courtesy of River Crossing YMCA)

Left: River Crossing YMCA President/CEO Zane Moore thanks guests, supporters and donors at the Raise Up Our Youth groundbreaking event at the Quakertown branch on Nov. 12. Moore emphasized the importance of the Y engaging youth and families to help strengthen communities throughout the Y’s service areas. (Photo courtesy of River Crossing YMCA)

Left: (L-R) YMCA gymnasts Sofia Balcavage and Mazkenzie Marco spoke to guests at the Nov. 12 groundbreaking event about the importance of gymnastics in their lives, the confidence they’ve built, and the community they get to be part of on the YMCA Infinity Gymnastics team, which practices at the Quakertown branch. (Photo courtesy of River Crossing YMCA)

Above: Anthony Caruso (Kwik Goal), Ken Brown, Allyson Fox, Zane Moore, Cheri Freeh, Dave Freeman (QNB Bank), Nicole Balcavage, Frank Balcavage, Sofia Balcavage, Mackenzie Marco and Allen Childs (Chief Volunteer Officer, River Crossing YMCA) officially break ground at the Quakertown branch of River Crossing YMCA. (Photo courtesy of River Crossing YMCA)

Architectural renderings for publishing may be found at this link. All images courtesy of River Crossing YMCA.

Information provided to TVL by:
Michael Reisman