By Lauren Young
Staff Writer
In the early 1990s, the YMCA of Greater Syracuse was “struggling and on the brink of bankruptcy,” until one man stepped forward to help save the association — an action that has since helped thousands of people become part of a greater community.
This man, former CEO and Executive Director of the YMCA of Greater Syracuse Hal Welsh, was honored this week by becoming the namesake for the Fayetteville YMCA.
The plaque dedicating the newly named Hal Welsh East Area Family YMCA, located at 200 Towne Drive, was officially unveiled on Tuesday, May 29.
“We’re here today to pay tribute to someone who has changed all of our lives,” said Chris Iven, branch executive director of the YMCA. “One way to judge the positive impact of a person’s life is by imaging how things would be different if they weren’t around.”
Welsh has been involved with the YMCA for 42 years and had been a CEO of the YMCA of Greater Syracuse since 1993 when he saved the facility from shutting down.
“There were people who thought the downtown Y should be closed as soon as possible … if it weren’t for Hal Welsh, you have to ask yourself, would there even be a YMCA of Greater Syracuse today?” said Iven. “If it weren’t for Hal, the building you’re in would probably still be a defunct movie theatre … and I can tell you for a fact I would not be here as an executive director if it wasn’t for the trust and faith Hal put in me.”
“When Hal first came, we were near bankruptcy, and we’re still recovering after 10 years,” said Ed Kelley, a Metro board member who was instrumental in opening the Fayetteville YMCA.
When the YMCA was in need of funding, Welsh talked five banks into working together to collectively loan the facility $8 million.
“In my experience, I’ve never seen that done,” said Kelley. “Every day when I look at the profits that come through here, I see the result of the faith everyone put in Hal.”
“Hal is a unique person, and his caring comes around full circle,” said East Area YMCA board member Gwyn Mannion.
When Welsh took Mannion on a tour of the YMCA of Greater Syracuse facility, Mannion talked about how he showed her the residences upstairs, describing how they were “places for men who need help or lost their way” to give them a secure place to stay,” and helping them back on their feet and back into society.
“He talked about the people there so beautifully,” said Mannion. “I’ll never forget the feeling that I had, and the passion and caring he had for them.”
“I can’t thank you people enough for what you did to contribute to create this Y,” said Bill Bradt, president of the Metro board. “[Hal] came in here taking on a struggling organization, two branches, one of which they were told they should probably close. Through his leadership and hard work, he helped many volunteers and staff move it to a successful eight branch operation, offering valuable programs and services to the people in our community that they would not otherwise be able to experience.”
At Welsh’s retirement dinner, Bradt said he talked about how Welsh measures himself by the “relationships he has cultivated,” and those he has inspired along the way, adding that his family has always been a priority.
“This Y facility is a key example of Hal’s impact on the Syracuse Y and the Central New York community,” Bradt read from the plaque dedicated to Welsh. “This Y facility was a start of the transformation of the Syracuse Y from a provider of gym and swim facilities to an organization devoted to building a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.”
“This is beyond anything I could ever think about or dream about,” said Welsh. “That name up there, that’s great, and I really do appreciate it. And one thing’s for sure, when I get real old, if I forget my name I can come down here … [but] this really is a board initiative — they were the ones who said to put my name up there. I really do appreciate it a lot.”
Described by Iven as a “humble man,” Welsh then named several members from the audience for their help in making the YMCA what it is today.
“Everyone in this room I can talk a lot about, and as I look around at the faces — it’s remarkable. You all have been so helpful,” said Welsh.
When national YMCA residences for struggling men to stay at were dwindling by the day, Welsh decided to keep his facility’s residences open. Since that time, Welsh said 2,500 men have come and gone through their residences.
“We have to all be proud of that,” said Welsh. “Do you know how many residences are in Ys right now? If there’s more than 15 I’d be surprised.”
Welsh added that while there are not many YMCAs in the nation that have education and arts programs, and even inclusion directors to aid kids with disabilities, the YMCA of Greater Syracuse does.
“We have to be so proud of ourselves when kids raise their scores in school,” said Welsh. “If a kid becomes successful in school and goes back to school and September and feels better about themselves and wants to do better, we’re going to help him do that — right on.”
During Welsh’s tenure, the association built the YMCA in Fayetteville and the Northwest Family YMCA in Baldwinsville, and opened the Manlius YMCA and Southwest YMCA at OCC.
According to the Syracuse.YMCA.org, it currently serves over 57,000 members, and in 2016, provided $1.9 million in financial assistance to 15,924 people.
“If you know Hal, you know he’s humble man,” said Iven. “The name on the building, I think he’s here for us. We’re here to thank him, which is great and he appreciates that, but I think he wouldn’t be here if he didn’t know that we needed to thank him. He’s doing this for us.”
Welsh announced his retirement late March, and as of last November, Mike Brown took over as the organization’s CEO, saying that transferring to a larger YMCA also meant a larger opportunity for his family.
“It was time for a move because we have family in Baltimore, so we used to be 14 hours away and now it’s only five and a half, which is nice,” said Brown, a former CEO of YMCA of Rock River Valley in Rockford, Illinois. “I love it here … there’s lots of leaders and people I want to meet who I haven’t meet yet.”
Brown has been with the YMCA for 25 years and has worked with YMCAs in California, Houston, Georgia and Illinois. Only after fulfilling the job duties six months ago, Brown said he can already “see the work Hal put into this organization over that time.”
“Today is a great day to celebrate what Hal has done over the last two decades,” said Brown.
And like Hal, Iven said Brown is “a man of integrity.”
“I’m sure he’ll lead our YMCA well into the future,” said Iven.
