What’s in store for 2023...
YMCA of Northwest Florida
Building on last year’s efforts to invest in our youth at the Northeast location, the YMCA’s is building an Aerial Adventure. This ropes course will give our community’s youth an opportunity for physical activity, teamwork, leadership development, self-esteem building, and fun. The Y believes that our youth deserve safe spaces of their own that will challenge them while rewarding them for courage and plain hard work.
Aerial Adventure will offer an exhilarating network of obstacles that create a physical and an emotional challenge. Navigating the course individually and with a group promotes leadership development, communication, decision making, trust and problem solving. Participants learn to trust themselves and build trust with others by working their way around the course and increase their ability to handle risk and failure. The Last Mile will join other community investors in funding construction and start-up expenses.
Building on last year’s efforts to invest in our youth at the Northeast location, the YMCA’s is building an Aerial Adventure. This ropes course will give our community’s youth an opportunity for physical activity, teamwork, leadership development, self-esteem building, and fun. The Y believes that our youth deserve safe spaces of their own that will challenge them while rewarding them for courage and plain hard work.
Aerial Adventure will offer an exhilarating network of obstacles that create a physical and an emotional challenge. Navigating the course individually and with a group promotes leadership development, communication, decision making, trust and problem solving. Participants learn to trust themselves and build trust with others by working their way around the course and increase their ability to handle risk and failure. The Last Mile will join other community investors in funding construction and start-up expenses.
Bike Pensacola
Partnering with the City of Pensacola's Active Transportation Master Plan to maximize public engagement around advocating for improvements and partnering with experts in the field and organizations, such as CivicCon, to help create a safer and better community for cycling and walking.
Bike Pensacola representatives on the steering committee help to guide the ATP and develop an “Actions for Implementation” list that is vital to continue the momentum of creating a connected and comfortable active transportation network by building on past efforts and identifying existing challenges and barriers. The call is to create a connected network of safe streets for everyone of all ages and abilities and is to serve as a blueprint to ensure that the vision and guiding principles are fully implemented and become a foundational part of all projects moving forward.
Our hope is to see the study of safety analysis, developing guidance for future development and street improvements “framework” and identify critical infrastructure investments that improve access, comfort, and safety for people walking, bicycling, and other self-propelled modes of transportation.
The YMCA of Northwest Florida
The Y has been a leader in youth development, adult wellness and community support in the Florida Panhandle for 140 years. With a mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all, the programs supported are designed to nurture the full potential of children and teens by helping them strengthen muscles and more. Kids learn skills such as caring, confidence, honesty, respect and responsibility. The Y also believes exercise in the water benefits all ages and fitness levels.
Bike Pensacola
Known for their popular bike ride in town—the Slow Ride, Bike Pensacola is a coalition of bicyclists, bike clubs, bike shops, and other organizations working to improve conditions for bicycling in Pensacola. More than 400 riders bike the city streets for its monthly Slow Ride, building support for a more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly community.
Co-founder Christian Wagley is a strong advocate for restoring Pensacola’s urban core and making the City more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly. Because most cyclists are “self taught,” each month they offer information about bicycle laws and safety tips that will help keep rides safe and enjoyable.
Co-founder Christian Wagley is a strong advocate for restoring Pensacola’s urban core and making the City more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly. Because most cyclists are “self taught,” each month they offer information about bicycle laws and safety tips that will help keep rides safe and enjoyable.
Past Support
- Funded event cost and safety displays for first ever kid's Slow Ride and Bike Safety Rodeo, emphasizing the use of helmets while teaching kids how to stay safe on their bikes.
- Funding the creation of a series of short videos with local cyclists raising awareness of the need for local safety improvements, as well as helping spread the idea of bikes for transportation and how to ride safely from a commuters perspective.
- Purchased picnic tables & equipment to outfit YMCA’s Northeast's teen leadership program to be used for after school, summer and community use allowing for our local youth to have a positive safe space.
- Purchased and installed a permanent shade structure over the outdoor family pool at the Betty J. Pullum Family YMCA in Navarre, expanding our ability to offer swim lessons and camp and recreational swimming.
- Expanded youth recreational sports opportunities and increased safety at our Betty J. Pullum Family YMCA by purchasing six 40,000 lumen solar-powered lights and six poles to light the youth sports fields. This has had a meaningful impact in the program by ensuring a safe space for youth to enjoy sports and free play.
- Education and advocacy around traffic calming needed to reduce vehicle speeds, creating enhanced educational displays at Slow Rides and other events.
- Produced materials to help promote Safer Streets Pensacola project, including promoting a Vision Zero policy for the City Council and Mayor to endorse.
- Provided materials, supplies and curriculum to support STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) in the afterschool program.
- Partnered with 2 local churches to provide 20 students with scholarships to attend a winter camp trip or a student discipleship camp. These contributions help to shape the trajectory of the next generation.
- Partnered with Seville Quarter to provide full Thanksgiving meals to over 40 families that would not have otherwise been able to provide a meal for their family during the holiday season.