YMCA FOR CAPE EXPLORED

A task force is looking at the feasibility of establishing a YMCA in Cape Girardeau.

The Community Caring Council set up the task force to determine if there is a need for YMCA programs in Cape Girardeau.

Terry Starkey chairs the task force, which has from 15 to 30 members. It is an informal group with a fluctuating membership. The next meeting is set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 21 at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

The task force is beginning its work and hasn't reached any conclusions yet, said Starkey.

He works for East Missouri Action Agency, which operates social service programs. Starkey also heads the Community Caring Council's employment committee.

YMCA stands for Young Men's Christian Association. But it is open to both sexes and to those of all faiths.

Today, half of all YMCA constituents and staff members are female.

Starkey said YMCAs offer more than recreational programs. "They are the largest day-care provider in the United States," he said.

He said there is a need for affordable day care for working families in Cape Girardeau. A YMCA might help fill that need, he said.

Starkey said several attempts have been made to establish a YMCA in Cape Girardeau in the last two decades. One reason it hasn't taken hold locally is that other organizations already are providing many recreational programs, he said.

The Salvation Army, the city's Parks and Recreation Department and the Civic Center offer various programs.

Starkey said a YMCA wouldn't replace these programs. "This is something we need in addition to what we have."

In 1992, there were 2,078 YMCA units nationwide, serving nearly 13 million people. The YMCA, which was founded in London in 1844, now can be found in 110 nations.

Starkey said about $200,000 to $250,000 would have to be raised to start up a YMCA in Cape Girardeau and fund its operations through the first three years.

After that, it is envisioned the YMCA unit would be supported largely through its membership fees.

"It is not dependent on government funding," he said.

The YMCA likely would seek some funding from the United Way but wouldn't be dependent on such aid, Starkey said.

The YMCA would serve the whole community, young and old, he said.

It could be operated from a small office and make use of existing recreational facilities.

Sikeston's YMCA does just that. It operates from a two-room office.

Jeff Partridge is the executive director of Sikeston's YMCA. He is the organization's only full-time employee. Depending on the time of year, he has a staff of six to 10 part-time employees, and the assistance of 10 to 20 volunteers.

That doesn't include the group's 18-member board of directors.

Sikeston residents raised about $200,000 in 1994 to start the YMCA. Partridge was hired in the spring of 1995 to start up the YMCA and establish programs.

The YMCA leases a former school gymnasium from the city of Sikeston. "We use it for basketball, volleyball, church groups and youth groups," he said.

"We also use several churches in town, parks and some of the schools," Partridge said.

The YMCA offers swimming lessons at a Sikeston motel pool.

It operates an after-school program at one of the elementary schools as well as a summer day camp and an aerobics program.

It also runs a girls' sports program.

The YMCA hopes to provide programs for senior citizens and disabled persons, too.

Partridge estimates the organization should be self-sufficient by 1999 with revenue from membership and program fees and contributions.

The YMCA began selling memberships earlier this year at annual fees ranging from $25 for a child to $100 for a family.

The group currently has about 200 paid members, he said. But no one is turned away from YMCA programs because of an inability to pay.

The YMCA provides financial assistance to those who would like to participate but can't afford it, Partridge said.

"We try to develop character in individuals," he said. "The Golden Rule is what Ys live by."