Sewickley Herald

              '!.;A Gateway Publications Newspaper -
Sewickley . ■
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Serving Aleppo, Bell Acres, Edgeworth, Glenfield, Haysville, Leet, Leetsdale, Osborne, Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills
The Herald's Woman of the Year travels the road ot life with a gracious ease. She’s brought Friendship to many. For her story, see Page 11.
95No. 17;
-Wedn	998 „
v -V:	,50'Cents;
News
■ They've oil come rtogether_ for the chii-.o'ren — martial arts experts and mentors, who can help them learn and grow. See
Page 5
Letters
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B Residents have ■ responded to local and county-wide issues of concern. See if you agree with their perspectives on
Page 3»10
Sports
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■ Sports writer Jim O'Brien paid a visit to local schools, sponsored by Sewickley Area Librarians, QV and SA. See
Page 25
Local News , Opinion ...		9
Ufesiyle*.,	.1
Religion,.,.		24
Scorls ....	
ObihiPiies..		2B

T MAN OF- XHE .YEAR _

Fred Potts devotes a lifetime to the YMCA
By StwWofi lodgers
_______________Staff WHh*______________
Perhaps Fred Potts would change the name of his employer if he could.
YMCA—Young Men’s Christian Association— just doesn’t sum up the organization's membership. It sounds too restrictive, as if young men were the only ones allowed into the club.
Restriction is the anti-thesis of Pott’s work.
As Executive Director, he has labored nearly three decades trying to throw wide the doors of Sewickley’^ YMCA, attempting, through his life’s work, to offer the club’s opportunities to every man, woman and child of the Quaker Valley.
It is his mission, his reward. It is what he is most proud of, and what he speaks of most when asked about his long career.
“The thing I aimed to do here was to make the Y more accessible to the total community, to get everyone involved in our programs.
“I really love this area, As with most people who move here, I found it’s a really nice place to live,” says Potts.
One of the first things he accomplished when coming to Sewickley in ' 1970 was getting African-Americans accepted as members.
This was early 1970, a full six years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Sewickley YMCA still wasn’t allowing African-Americans as members.
Until Fred Potts came aboard, that is.
“Admitting blacks was the first issue that Fred dealt with when arriving here. It’s amazing that it didn’t occur until that time," says Colleen Fedor, associate executive director, youth division.
He also initiated programs for residents of every conceivable age range, from preschoolers to senior citizens. His plan all along was to serve the entire family.
The youth of the Quaker Valley are well taken care of thanks to Potts, He initiated Preschool Child Care at St. Andrew's Church, This off-site program stills offers parents full day care for their children ages one to five years old, Currently, Preschool Child Care enrolls roughly 30 children, five who are between one and three years old, and 25 who are between the ages of three and " five.
The YMCA also has an on-site school
age child care center, which again was initiated by Potts. This program is designed for children from kindergarten through the sixth grade and is available before and after school until 6:30 p.m.
Established in 1987, the program started from the concern that kids were going home to empty houses. Between 50 and 75 of these ‘latch key kids’ are kept active every day at the Y.
Shortly after, in 1989, Potts was aware that children were having difficulty getting to the YMCA from their local schools. He suggested hiring a bus company to transport the children to and from these places.
His suggestion became reality, as the Y covered the $10,000 a year needed for busing services. Eventually, the school district added a bus to the YMCA as part of its daily routes.
“His commitment to youth is outstanding. Most YMCAs are fortunate to have one youth director, We had two," Says George Babish, associate executive director from 1981-88.
From young to old, Potts wanted everyone to become involved. He helped to create the Senior Men’s Club, a group of more than 250 retired men who meet weekly at the Y, This assemblage of
active seniors occupy their time together with bridge, volunteering, sight-seeing and golfing.
“Fred realized that our population was aging, and that older people wanted to be with a group of the same age. He felt a director was needed for older adults," says Mrs. Fodor.
This led to the hiring of staff based on age group, which was quite different from how most YMCAs were run. Sewickley established directors for preschool programs, adult programs and senior citizen programs, whereas other Y’s structures were based on a physical director, program director, etc.
Potts felt that a parent or child would be more comfortable seeing one staff member for all of the programs they were interested in.
Potts also established “Neighbors for a Healthy Community,” a collection of nearly 40 agencies whose focus is on elder care issues. Among these agencies are The Allegheny County Health Department, D.T. Watson Rehabilitation Services, Laughlin Children’s Center, Sewickley Valley Hospital and The Union Aid Society,
Their concern is that all goals are Continued on Pago 2