BATH

For Sabrina Murphy, the Bath Area Family YMCA stands as a bulwark against loneliness in the community.

“Recently, the United Kingdom appointed a Minister of Loneliness,” said Murphy at the organization’s annual meeting on Thursday. “For all of you Harry Potter fans, this definitely sounds like a character from a Harry Potter book. In fact, the United Kingdom felt loneliness has become a critical health concern.”

While the title of Minister of Loneliness may sound a bit silly, it highlights a real problem. The lack of social connectedness and the feeling of community can have a detrimental impact on health, said Murphy, and is often connected to higher rates of mortality, depression, high blood pressure, obesity and more.

But there’s good news, she noted. While social isolation appears to be increasing, the Bath Area Family YMCA has worked hard to build a community and create a common space where people can meet, socialize and engage with each other as they pursue a more healthy lifestyle.

“It’s about eliminating loneliness. It’s about being part of a community,” said Murphy. “And it’s really about saving lives and keeping people healthy.”

In many ways, the Bath Area Family YMCA, which includes the Landing Y in Brunswick, really is its own community.

The Bath Area Family YMCA community stretches out across 14 municipalities in the Midcoast, from Richmond to Phippsburg and Brunswick to Wiscasset, with well more than 6,000 members. For those who don’t care to do the math, that means the YMCA’s total membership exceeds the population of many of the communities it serves.

Of those members, nearly 600 are volunteers, who worked a combined 46,317 hours last year. With a bit more back of the napkin math, that correlates to the work of about 22 full-time employees. Not including the YMCA’s staff, that’s larger than many Midcoast municipal governments.

“No matter where you’re from in this greater Midcoast community, if you walk into the Y and you want to be part of what the Y is offering, you’re welcome,” said Murphy. “We are for all. If you cannot afford it, we’ll help you get there.”

Despite relying on membership fees to continue, the organization counts its members from a diverse range of income brackets. The YMCA provides financial support to many of those who cannot afford membership. In 2017 alone, 1,016 individuals from 14 towns received a combined $240,953 in scholarships.

As members, staff and board members gathered at Maine Maritime Museum on Thursday evening, the organization celebrated its achievements during the past year, elected new board members and recognized several individuals, families and groups for their service with the Y.

Matt Norris and Nouvelle Kanziza were both recognized individually for furthering the Y’s mission of youth development. Norris, owner of Sarah’s Café in Wiscasset, coached the Y’s grades 5 and 6 basketball travel team, whereas Kanziza volunteered with the organization’s Summer Food Program, before joining the Y as a staff member with the enrichment program.

There were also two awards for healthy living. Pat Cressey worked with the Y for 43 years before retiring, and since then she has volunteered to lead the Aqua-Ex wellness class. The second healthy living award went to the family of Russ Ferris for the creation of the Russ Ferris YMCA Scholarship for Youth Aquatics.

The social responsibility award was given to the Y’s combined rescue team: The Bath Fire Department and the Y staff.

“Each of these individuals worked in unison and as a team to follow their training,” said Murphy. “The result of this hard work and training often goes unsung but today we want to recognize the combined team for their efforts in saving lives at the YMCA and in our community.”

Kay Kavanagh was named Volunteer of the Year for heading the Y’s annual campaign, which raised $195,170 for the organization.

The Sherry family was named Family of the Year for being exceedingly active in the Y community. Cmdr. Nathan Sherry is assigned to the future USS Thomas Hudner, which is currently being completed at Bath Iron Works.

“When I came to Maine two years ago I never imagined that we’d be here tonight, much less receiving this wonderful recognition,” said Sherry, who currently resides in Topsham. “Being stationed in Bath, Maine, we rely on organizations such as the Y to help us and our sailors.”

Sherry has been proactive in encouraging his sailors to take advantage of the Y.

Members also elected three new board members, each for their first term. Jon Larssen, Kay Kavanagh and Kristine Logan all joined the board Thursday. Members also elected officers for the new year: Kay Beveridge as board chairwoman, Bob Davis as treasurer and Tony Yuodsnukis as secretary.

This story has been updated to reflect proper spellings, names and titles. April 6, 2018.