After one month as executive director of the Telford Community Center YMCA, Debi Downing White is excited about making positive changes and moving the Telford YMCA forward.
“I want to be able to strengthen our position in the community and offer more programming for the needs of Madison County,” she said.
Her first focus is programming for families, she said. Already lined up is a pre-school movement class where parents with children ages 3 to 5 years participate together. In this class, the youngsters will enjoy time with a parent while learning skills and character values all at the same time, she said.
White has high praise for the people she is getting to know on her new job.
“We have a lot of good people who work here and we have lots of good members,” she said.
She is grateful to the Telford YMCA board and board chair, Jerry Gilbert, for “having the confidence to bring me here as executive director,” she said.
“We are looking for people that care about the community to serve on our board, people who want to work and help us,” White said.
All hands will be needed in the spring for the annual support campaign where funds will be raised for the PACE program that provides scholarships for membership and programs. PACE is an acronym for Providing Assistance in Christian Enrichment.
White said it is important for people to know that the Telford YMCA is here for the entire community, even those who are struggling financially.
She quoted the YMCA mission statement, which is, “To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.”
White said the words “for all” in the mission statement are very important.
“Although we are Christian based, the YMCA is for everybody,” she said.
White, a native of Maysville, comes to the Telford YMCA with 21 years of experience as a YMCA professional. She started her career with the YMCA in Maysville as membership and fitness coordinator. She decided on a career in YMCA work after, “seeing the positive difference that we make in lives every day.”
Her career includes serving as operations director at the Wilmington, Ohio, YMCA and as chief executive officer at the YMCA in Chillicothe, Ohio. Just before the call to Madison County, White served as executive director at the Clermont County YMCA on the eastern side of Greater Cincinnati.
White said she is happy to be back in Kentucky and near her family in Maysville. She purchased a home in Richmond and said she will feel really at home here after next week, when her two cats come to join her.
White is a graduate of Mason County High School where she was a cheerleader and a member of the golf team. She is a graduate of Ohio University with a major in communications management and recreation.
She enjoys group exercise classes, especially step aerobics. She is looking forward to getting involved in the community and has already visited a local Rotary Club.
The Telford Community Center YMCA is located at 1100 East Main St. in Richmond.
For more information on programs, memberships, scholarships and hours of operation, call 623-9356 or visit www.telfordymca.org.
Local News
YMCA gets new director
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
US 25 business owners scared of five-lane plan
Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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