Idaho Falls Post Register (Idaho)

January 28, 2009 Wednesday
Main Edition

A SECTION; Pg. A1

336 words

Check gives YMCA a boost

By CLARK CORBIN,

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club gave $100,000 to the Idaho Falls YMCA, which will be used for the organization's after-school program.

The $100,000 check was made out to the YMCA, but Idaho children will be the real beneficiaries.

The check awarded Tuesday came through a grant from Sam's Club and the Wal-Mart State Giving Foundation.

It will be split among the state's YMCA associations and branches in Idaho Falls, the Treasure Valley, the Wood River Valley and Boise.

The bulk of the money earmarked for the local Y will be used to create a a not-for-profit learning center dedicated to assisting youngsters with learning disabilities, said Michael Bodenhausen, CEO of the Idaho Falls YMCA.

The Y has also hired a state-certified teacher to assist children in the after-school program.

More than 1,250 children participate in the Idaho Falls YMCA's after-school program, Bodenhausen said, so the money will be put to good use. New computers are among the proposed improvements, and renovations could be in the works.

""We want to be very prudent with the money,"" Bodenhausen said. ""One hundred thousand dollars doesn't come around very often.""

Mark Marvin, Wal-Mart district manager, presented the grant and explained how employees from the two local Wal-Marts and the Idaho Falls Sam's Club raised $116,000 for the community and logged more than 3,000 volunteer hours last year. Through the Wal-Mart State Giving Foundation, the company spread more than $360,000 among the YMCA and seven other organizations in Idaho.

""We wanted to concentrate on organizations that emphasize education, emphasize sustainability and emphasize health,"" Marvin said.

Bodenhausen acknowledged the significance of accepting a $100,000 grant during an economic downturn, and suggested that directing the money toward educational programs for low-income and special-needs children will give local families a chance to get back on their feet.

""The best way to get out of a bad economic situation is through education and by going to college,"" he said.

January 28, 2009