Fostering welcoming at our St. Paul YMCA Hub
When you step inside the Midway YMCA, it may feel like you are seeing a window of the St. Paul community in action. Infants and toddlers of all backgrounds join us for care in the early childhood learning center. Teens are engaged in a robust basketball game, while a ForeverWell yoga class occurs nearby. From nutrition classes to swimming, to pickleball — the Midway Y is abuzz with activities and people representing all walks of life. It proudly serves a vibrant and diverse community of members, and that’s just what Steve and Barbara Proeschel love.
As a St. Paul-based and active couple, choosing a gym that celebrated diversity of membership was a value for the Proeschels. “We loved the Midway Y both for its excellent facilities and because we could sense right away that it’s a place where everyone feels welcome.”
David Dominick, Executive Director, “The Proeschels are inspiring community leaders and by establishing a new endowment fund, they are supporting a safe and welcoming environment for all.”
For Steve and Barbara, their Y story goes deeper and includes swimming lessons for their son, extended family members working as staff, a trip north to YMCA Camp Menogyn, attending their favorite exercise classes or workouts in the gym, and stints selling trees on the holiday lot for the Y (see photo). Steve and Barbara’s numerous connections to the Y, have welded our mission into their lives.
The Proeschels have a long history of dedicating time, talent, and treasure to Twin Cities non-profits. They value organizations that unite people to build a better, welcoming community for all. This summer, Barbara facilitated a field trip with the Summer Power youth, to visit the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). She was eager for the children to see themselves and their culture reflected in art. The Proeschel family’s desire to support strong, multicultural community hubs in Minnesota’s capital city is what inspired them to create a named fund to support the Midway YMCA.