YMCA honored with YHS award

ELKINS -- Youth Health Service presented an award recognizing the Elkins-Randolph County YMCA during a special ceremony at the YMCA Monday morning.

Tammie Rizzio, Youth Health Service's executive co-director, presented the annual Heart of Giving award to YMCA officials.

"On behalf of Youth Health Service, each year we select a recipient for our Heart of Giving award, which was established in 2016 in honor of Steve and Jean Jory," Rizzio said. "They were instrumental in the early years of Youth Health Service and were a big part of our agency for many years and continue to be.

"Over the years we have selected a person, persons, agency or organization that have somehow helped us achieve our mission and vision in serving the community," she added.

Rizzio said YHS

officials were not sure exactly how long the annual Angel Tree program, which the YMCA coordinates with YHS during the holidays, has been active. Elkins-Randolph County YMCA Executive Director Sid Gillespie said the program has been a Christmas tradition since the 1990s.

"My best calculation is that we, together, have served over 1,000 kids for Christmas," Rizzio said. "So we definitely want to acknowledge the YMCA, and all the hard work that you and your members put into Angel Tree distribution each year."

YMCA officials were presented with a framed certificate that reads, "The Heart of Giving Award in honor and recognition of the Elkins-Randolph County YMCA. Once in a while, special people come along with a true heart of giving. Thank you for coming our way."

"We love working with you all," Gillespie said. "Also, with the help of the community, who have put so much money and time and effort into this for kids, it's just phenomenal."

"We are always just in awe of all the donations that come in," Rizzio said. "Bicycles, beds, anything that kids have on their lists. You all always come through for the kids, and we really appreciate that."

The Youth Health staff refers area children up to age 16 for the program, and the YMCA places an Angel Tree in the Y's lobby, where area residents have the chance to choose a tag to buy Christmas presents for the kids.

No identifying information about the children is provided to the public, but the YMCA is provided with each child's age, clothing sizes and information about his or her interests.

Each child is assigned a number, which is given to the YMCA. The number is written on a tag, which is then placed on the Angel Tree.

Individuals or groups can then choose a tag and buy presents for that child. The presents are labeled with the number assigned to that child. Members of the community, as well as YMCA members, volunteer their time to wrap the donated gifts. All presents are then taken to YHS to be delivered to children or picked up by their guardians.