YMCA To Honor Gwinnett County Volunteers, Teen Leaders

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA—Volunteers and teen leaders from the Gwinnett Family YMCA and Robert D. Fowler YMCA will be recognized for their contributions to the community on Feb. 10 during the the YMCA of Metro Atlanta’s Celebration of Community Champions.

Reagan Havens, a member of the Gwinnett Family YMCA, will be one of the volunteers recognized as "Volunteer of the Year."

According to the organization, he started his relationship with the Y in 2000, playing in the adult soccer league. He later became a volunteer coach and has taken on an active roles as board member, as well as a member of the Branch Association Committee for Region 4 and Y Days of Service committee.

“The YMCA is focused on addressing needs in the local community, and it is in everyone’s best interest to invest the time and effort to improve their home. Giving time at the Y makes my home town better for my family and all of us," Havens said.

Erin Young, who is also a member of the Gwinnett Family YMCA, will be recognized as one of the "Teen Leaders of the Year." A member of the Y for two years now, staffers say she embraces the Y core values and exhibits them through her volunteerism and attitude.

“The Y has changed my life by presenting me with many opportunities. It has made me more mature as a teen, allowed me to work with adults and the public, train in different job areas to diversify my skills, and create a stepping stone to many other job opportunities," Young said.

Paige Blair, a member of the Robert D. Fowler YMCA, started volunteering at the Y in 2013 and currently leads the pickleball group. According to the organization, she has encouraged the pickleball players to donate time and money to the YMCA. She, too, will be recognized as "Volunteer of the Year."

“Pickleball started as a very small program in which most people had never heard of it or had never played it. Over the years, as the pickleball volunteer, it has grown and now offers various skill levels and many opportunities to play. As a result, it has cultivated many new relationships and increased my involvement at the Y," Blair said.

Damilola Zoe-Elizabeth Ige, a member of the Robert D. Fowler YMCA, was been involved with the YMCA for nine years. She, too, will also be recognized as one of the "Teen Leaders of the Year."

“The YMCA has been such a big part of my life for so long it would feel weird to not make time for the Y. Being at the Y centers me. It brings back so many good memories and continues to provide new ones. I think it’s personally important for me to continue to make time for the Y because of the positive effect it has on me physically, mentally, and emotionally," she said.

The upcoming event will take place at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.