Help Kayla raise money

POUNDING PAVEMENT WITH A PURPOSE

On October 5th, I’ll be running the Twin Cities Marathon — my very first full marathon and something that has been an aspiration of mine for many years.

I’m doing this not just to challenge myself physically after recently returning to running this past spring (a huge part of my life since my late teens), following an almost three-year hiatus to focus on my journey into motherhood—a time during which I thought running might be a thing of the past for me—but also to "fund-race" for YMCA Adventure, a cause near and dear to me. 

Not only was I a YMCA camper growing up, attending three different camps from ages 6-11, but I now work as the YMCA of the North's donor relations manager and also get to see my own child grow and thrive every day in one of the Y's Early Childhood Learning Centers (and eventually as a Y camper like her mom!).

Here's me at Camp Ihduhapi:

And Camp St. Croix:

I've seen firsthand how transformational camp experiences can be for kids from all walks of life. Unfortunately, access to these kind of outdoor adventure opportunities can be limited, with cost being a major barrier for many families.

Camper scholarships, through our "Kids to Camp" initiative, make it possible for many young people from underrepresented communities to attend camp who would otherwise not be able to, and these funds are in increasingly high-demand.

That's where you come in! 

Every dollar raised will help create opportunities for kids of diverse backgrounds to find belonging, connect with nature, make lifelong memories and friendships, try new things, discover confidence, develop skills, and experience joy in the outdoors through one-of-a-kind YMCA camp programming. If you’re able to support this mission with a donation (of any amount), I would be so grateful! You’ll be making a direct impact — and giving me even more motivation as I train mile after mile over the coming months.

As a professional fundraiser by day (and now also a "fund-racer" by night), I am aware how cliché the whole "every dollar makes a difference" mantra may sound, but truly, every gift of every amount does matter and will collectively help me reach my goal. 

Your generosity is deeply appreciated not only by me, but by the incredible staff teams, campers, families, scholarship recipients, and program participants who make up the expansive Y Adventure community.

Thank you so much for your support as I work toward this lifelong goal and give back to a heartfelt cause that is incredibly meaningful to me.

--Kayla

P.S. Here are some awesome facts about Y Adventure and a bit more info about our equity and belonging initiatives that you will be supporting through your donation: