MATTOON — After two years of delays due to the pandemic, the Neal Center YMCA is moving forward with their first Spring Social Fundraiser.
The event, which will include a catered dinner from the House of Brisket and live music by the Feudin’ Hillbillys, will be held on Friday, March 25, at the Neal Center YMCA on the square in Toledo.
“We had this vision almost three years ago,” YMCA Marketing and Fundraising Events Director Angela Hampton said. “We have an awesome committee of community members who have been patient and stuck with us until we could safely welcome everyone into the facility for an event of this size.”
In 2021, the Mattoon and Toledo YMCA’s served 5,733 members. Of those, nearly 900 were seniors and more than 200 were youth. The YMCA’s Membership for All program provides financial assistance to people of any age who are not able to afford their membership or program fees. Last year, the Y provided over $309,000 in assistance to almost 700 local families.
“The programs we offer, along with Membership for All, allowed over 1,100 youth to play sports last year and nearly 200 more to experience life-saving swim lessons,” YMCA CEO Blake Fairchild said. “We also served Cumberland County youth through our school-aged childcare, homeschool program, child watch, summer camp, and Dynamite Days Out.”
The YMCA serves people of all ages through group fitness classes and wellness challenges, as well as two unique new programs. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program provides support and education to people who have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. The Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program offers the support of a Healthy Heart Ambassador who empowers people to take control of their high blood pressure and educates them on how to prevent the condition.
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“These vital programs would not be possible without the support of our donors,” Hampton said. “We do need to find ways to continue to drive that support, but we also want to have fun and connect with our community.”
Spring Social tickets are on sale now for $25 per person. They can be purchased online at www.mattoonymca.org, in person at the Y, or by calling 217-235-2500. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner starting at 6 p.m. and the band at 7 p.m. The event is casual dress and is open to ages 21 and over. A cash bar will be hosted by the Toledo Legion. First Neighbor Bank is the host for this year’s event.
A 50/50 raffle will also be held. Tickets are on sale at the YMCA, Awesome Blossoms in Greenup , The Toledo Democrat, Greenup IGA and The Fillin’ Station, one for $5 or five for $20. The winner need not be present to win.
Questions about the event can be directed to Hampton at 217-234-9494 or ahampton@mattoonymca.org.
PHOTOS: A look back at Mattoon businesses through the years
Mattoon Area Educational Extension Center
1965: The school is housed in the former Humble Oil Co. building on Route 45 on the south side of Mattoon.
General Electric Co.
1950: Proof that flash photography has become a national hobby is the Mattoon plant of the General Electric Co. which manufactures flash bulbs almost exclusively. A few incandescent or regular light bulbs in larger wattages are made here also.
Ellen Kay’s
1989: Pat and Rodney Williamson are ready to dine. Owner Leonard Losch looks on at Ellen Kay’s.
East Rudy Place
1992: A bicyclist pedals along East Rudy Street where a row of new duplexes were built, next to a subsidized housing project.
E. Rudy Place
1992: A group of children wait in line to challenge the winner to a game of tether ball at the E. Rudy Street housing project.
Downtown Aerial
1985: aerial view of downtown Mattoon.
Douglas Nursing Center
1977: Acquisition of the Douglas Nursing Center will complete another phase in Wesley Tower’s total care package.
Consolidated Telemarketing Association (CTA)
1991: The CTA office is carpeted, air conditioned, well-lit and features work stations designed around employee needs. Telemarketers generated $435 billion in sales last year. For each customer who says yes, 99 say no.
Central Illinois Public Service (CIPS)
1959: The Eastern Division of the CIPS is completing a move into the new building in Mattoon. The structure has 36 offices and 23,000 square feet of office space.
Burtschi
1988: Burtschi is the first store in Illinois south of Springfield to offer Hummel figurines.
Blaw-Knox
1963: A new line of paving equipment is exhibited by the Mattoon Blaw Knox plant at the Construction Equipment Exposition and Road Show, Chicago.
Anaconda
1959: In an effort to better serve the growing needs of the Midwest, Southwest and Far West market for flexible metal hose and tubing the American Brass Co. built its American Metal Hose Division plant in Mattoon.
