Herbert Goodman

Often in life, we look to high profile people, those who lead us in business, to set an example for us and to help us to recognize what things are important to our community.  All too seldom do we look at a man living a simple life with virtually no profile, to lead us and help us determine what is good about this place in which we live.

Herbert Goodman was one such person.  A man who lived a simple life--by choice.  Herb Goodman’s life represented the basic qualities of charity, hard work, activity and camaraderie.  Herb and the YMCA were a lot alike, and perhaps Herb saw something of himself in the YMCA; all the good there is in being a human being.  He was a resident for over 40 years in the old building, and dropped in on occasion to see how things were going at the current YMCA.  He marveled at the programs for young and old alike.

Herb was ‘the man on a bike’.  He didn’t own a business, a home or even a car.  Herb saved and invested his whole life with an expressed goal to help others long after he was gone.  He did this by giving over one million dollars to the YMCA Foundation with the intent that his great gift be spent  to support programs he loved including childcare, the handicapped youth learn-to-swim program and scholarships for low income youth and families.  For this, we are humbled and truly grateful to a GIANT of a community person-‘the man on a bike’.

A.H. ‘Ike’ Parker

Ike was a builder of not just facilities but people.  He was recognized as YMCA Volunteer of the Year in 1987 and again in 1995.  Without Ike’s dedication, leadership and commitment to success the YMCA building and programs of today would not exist.  He led the way.

Ike was a key leader in the strategic gifts division and Building Committee Chair in the establishment of our new YMCA from 1982 – 1986, at the time the biggest non-profit project in Bremerton’s history.  This preceded a 15 year period where he led the YMCA through seven building and improvement phases.  As Building Committee Chair he provided leadership, help raise contributed dollars and in some cases donated all the funding himself.  These projects included 1.  Elevator & upstairs completion, 2.  Court replacement, 3. Sauna, 4. Desk/lobby remodel, 5. ‘Ike’s Hot Tub’, 6. Weight Room/Aerobics room, 7. Childwatch & Families services building.

Ike was also a leader in every YMCA annual campaign over a 20 year period.  He always had time to help, he always contributed first and he never hesitated to ask others.  Ike cared about his community and it truly showed.

Ike brought much more to the YMCA than the facilities he helped create and the programs he helped sustain.  He gave us vision, enthusiasm, humor, trust, confidence, caring and an example of what it truly means to be humble.  Ike set a standard of service that will be very difficult to measure up to.  We will never forget his contribution to the YMCA and its impact on our youth and families.

Marge Thorne

 Marge may be the most extraordinary volunteer in any YMCA’s history.  In 1962 she helped begin the YMCA ‘Selective Swim’ program.  Selective Swim is a free learn-to-swim program for handicapped children.  It’s totally organized and run by more than 20 dedicated volunteers.  For many of the children the program is their only freedom of movement that promotes self-confidence, which helps kids succeed not only in swimming, but in life.

Marge served as a Selective Swim volunteer for 40 years, the last 25 as its unpaid director.  Her duties included recruiting 20 volunteers to staff the program, conducting an intensive training session for each volunteer, arranging transportation schedules with the schools, coordinating pool times and safety procedures with city staff, preparing lessons plans for each student, matching volunteers with students for one on one instruction and teaching six group classes herself.

Over the years Marge has volunteered in excess of 26,000 hours to serve over 5,000 very deserving children.  Many people are familiar with Special Olympics, but how many are aware of the hours that people like Marge have spent teaching which enable children to develop skills necessary to participate?

Marge was also one of the first members of the YMCA Heritage Club and has given to each annual campaign over 25 years.  She has been honored twice as Volunteer of the Year locally and in 1989 was National YMCA Volunteer of the Year.

Perhaps even more impressive is the ‘Y’ is only one of Marge’s volunteer efforts.  She has given her time freely to schools for tutoring, Red Cross, Francis Haddon Morgan, Hospice, PTA, Purdy Treatment Center and recently completed 40+ years at the Crisis Clinic.  Marge Thorne – Volunteer Extraordinaire!

John Stanley, M.D.

Dr. John Stanley has epitomized what it means to give your time, talent and treasure.  He has given all three in abundant amounts over 50+ years to the YMCA and his community.

Dr. Stanley first came to the ‘Y’ as a youth in 1935, in Atlanta, Georgia.  Beginning in 1942 he participated in USO/YMCA Dances.  He brought his entire family to the downtown Bremerton ‘Y’ to learn to swim in 1956, starting a continuous commitment to the YMCA and its ideals which has lasted over 50 years.  In 1958 Dr. Stanley joined the YMCA Board and helped begin the local ‘Handball’ tradition.  In 1960 he served as a key member of the YMCA’s first Capital Expansion committee.  In 1961 he chaired the YMCA membership drive and in 1962 and ‘63 he led the ‘Y’ as Board Chairman.

During all the years Dr. Stanley has dedicated to the YMCA and its mission, he has participated in over 40 annual, membership and capital campaigns.  A mark which is unparalleled in YMCA history.  He returned for a second round of Board service in 1987 and became chairman again in 1991.  Dr. Stanley also headed up the major gifts division of the 1983-84 capital campaign raising $1.2 million to build a new YMCA at Eastpark.  At the time, it was the largest capital campaign ever in Bremerton.

In 1998 Dr. Stanley helped organize and implement the YMCA Foundation.  He served as Board secretary up until 2004.  Along with Herb Goodman, Dr. Stanley has been the largest donor to the Foundation.  Thanks to his foresight, the Foundation will allow Dr. Stanley’s gifts and legacy of service to last for many generations to come.

Dr. John Stanley has demonstrated what it means to truly give of yourself AND how it should be done; with a smile, with kindness, and with a gentle, caring and humble nature.