The Auburn YMCA-WEIU is preparing to turn 150 years old this fall, and is asking someone from the White House who has been here before to help blow out the birthday candles.
The YMCA extended an invitation to Vice President Joseph Biden to come and speak as the guest of honor for its anniversary celebration, slated for late September or early October, Executive Director Kurt Kramer said.
As the anniversary committee began sifting through the YMCA's history, members discovered in newspaper clippings that Biden was the speaker at the 1977 annual meeting.
“So we thought it would be pretty cool to have him back 32 years later, now as the vice president,” Kramer said. “And he has connections to the area.”
Those connections are both political and personal for Biden. His first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden, who died in a car accident in 1973 that also killed their infant daughter, lived in Auburn with her family. Months after her death, Biden helped craft a Cayuga Community College commencement award for students that excel in literature and journalism in her honor.
Biden, who graduated from Syracuse University's law school, was also commencement speaker at two CCC graduations, one in 1973 and the other in 1984.
And then there was his talk at the YMCA in 1977. Committee members reproduced the newspaper article and sent it to Biden along with a formal invitation with no definitive dates attached to give him flexibility with his schedule, Kramer said.
Staff from the vice president's office responded last month asking for a particular date of the event. The committee followed up by offering three tentative dates, Sept. 27, Oct. 1 or Oct. 4.
Officials from the vice president's office could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
But regardless of Biden's availability, the YMCA is ready to celebrate 150 years of service to the Auburn community, which happens officially on Oct. 7.
“There are very few organizations in Auburn or in the United States that endure for 150 years, for a century and a half” Kramer said. “I think to have a 150th birthday ratifies the important work that the Y does in this community and that it's seen or has been seeing for generations as a key institution in our community.”
The YMCA is using 150 as a theme in some of its special promotions, like having an “Exercise for 150 minutes for 150 days,” campaign or “Swim 150 miles.”
While there are no special programmatic changes planned to mark the anniversary, Kramer said what has allowed the YMCA to exist for 150 years is its ability to adapt to the changing needs of the community. He pointed to the recent collaboration with the city of Auburn with operating the pool at Casey Park and the YMCA's donation of artificial turf at the Casey Park ice rink as examples of those needs.
“I'm confident that while we are marking this 150th anniversary, we'll be here for many more decades going in to the future, ”Kramer said, “but doing different things based upon what Auburn needs at that time.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
As the anniversary committee began sifting through the YMCA's history, members discovered in newspaper clippings that Biden was the speaker at the 1977 annual meeting.
“So we thought it would be pretty cool to have him back 32 years later, now as the vice president,” Kramer said. “And he has connections to the area.”
Those connections are both political and personal for Biden. His first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden, who died in a car accident in 1973 that also killed their infant daughter, lived in Auburn with her family. Months after her death, Biden helped craft a Cayuga Community College commencement award for students that excel in literature and journalism in her honor.
Biden, who graduated from Syracuse University's law school, was also commencement speaker at two CCC graduations, one in 1973 and the other in 1984.
And then there was his talk at the YMCA in 1977. Committee members reproduced the newspaper article and sent it to Biden along with a formal invitation with no definitive dates attached to give him flexibility with his schedule, Kramer said.
Staff from the vice president's office responded last month asking for a particular date of the event. The committee followed up by offering three tentative dates, Sept. 27, Oct. 1 or Oct. 4.
Officials from the vice president's office could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
But regardless of Biden's availability, the YMCA is ready to celebrate 150 years of service to the Auburn community, which happens officially on Oct. 7.
“There are very few organizations in Auburn or in the United States that endure for 150 years, for a century and a half” Kramer said. “I think to have a 150th birthday ratifies the important work that the Y does in this community and that it's seen or has been seeing for generations as a key institution in our community.”
The YMCA is using 150 as a theme in some of its special promotions, like having an “Exercise for 150 minutes for 150 days,” campaign or “Swim 150 miles.”
While there are no special programmatic changes planned to mark the anniversary, Kramer said what has allowed the YMCA to exist for 150 years is its ability to adapt to the changing needs of the community. He pointed to the recent collaboration with the city of Auburn with operating the pool at Casey Park and the YMCA's donation of artificial turf at the Casey Park ice rink as examples of those needs.
“I'm confident that while we are marking this 150th anniversary, we'll be here for many more decades going in to the future, ”Kramer said, “but doing different things based upon what Auburn needs at that time.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
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