Tri-Valley YMCA Will Expand into New Dublin Location in September

By Nicole Zaro Stahl, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

The Tri-Valley YMCA is going through a dynamic period of growth. Not only has the organization undergone rebranding at the national level, but the local branch is gearing up to launch a slew of community-oriented programs thanks to an expansion to Dublin.

At 7,500 square feet, the new facility, at 6693 Sierra Lane, is more than three times as large as the Y's existing Pleasanton quarters, which will also remain operational. The new site features a "huge" activity room that can accommodate 100 people; a conference room with seating for 20; and several individual rooms suitable for group classes like yoga or training sessions.

The Dublin site will be home to the Tri-Valley Y's new Families in Transition initiative, a support network for an underserved and vulnerable segment of the community. With its well-known childcare facility, the Y serves many families with children in the K-5 age range, explains Executive Director Kelly O'Lague Dulka. This demographic has seen a lot of turmoil and change recently - job loss, an increase in divorce and relocation, illness, even the death of a parent. "For example, one of our childcare dads recently lost his job and the mom was diagnosed with breast cancer," she says.

After years of hearing about the dearth of community services to address these stresses, thanks to recent grants from the cities of Pleasanton and Dublin and financial support from several area corporations, the Y has been able to assemble the resources to fill the gap, providing a full gamut of health and wellness, illness prevention, and mental health programs for all members of the family. Offerings will run the gamut from mindful meditation to kickboxing to healthy eating classes for kids and adults.

"The space in Dublin also gives us one room that serves as a family resource center," Dulka continues. There, parents can find material helping them deal with contemporary challenges like a child's excessive anger, a daughter's body image issues, or teens grappling with academic stress. "We will even have a section on career development, resume writing, and finding a job."

Dulka is enthusiastic about the benefits the Families in Transition initiative will bring to the community. It is also "an incredibly good supplement" to the Building Futures Mentoring Program, which has been very successful at the local level, helping "to move youth from risk to resiliency."

"All our programs have seen recent increases in participation," Dulka notes, adding that the Y's fundraising efforts have also broken records. "We have a really strong, energetic board of directors, with clearly stated responsibilities. They are all committed to a certain fundraising level, and they are very serious about promoting our mission."

The national YMCA rebranding, which took place in 2010, clarified the organization's mission and developed a new logo corresponding to its three articulated areas of focus: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

"We give every child the opportunity to explore his full potential," observes Dulka. "What's better than that?"

Renovation of the Dublin facility is underway. Dulka anticipates holding a grand opening at the end of September. For more information, visit www.trivalleyymca.org.

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