Where We Started
(Video courtesy of Glenn Grant)
1982
- Established. YMCA of Riverside offered programs in the Coachella Valley prior to opening.
1982 – 1984
- The Y embarked on a Capital Campaign, eventually acquiring two acres of land in Palm Desert.
1984
- Merger with Palm Desert Youth Center on Portola Avenue to offer more services.
1986
- Y purchased modular facilities and moved the Youth Center and YMCA offices to Magnesia Falls Park in Palm Desert.
1987
- Y began to provide before and after school programs at some Desert Sands Schools (on each campus). Other programs initiated included youth basketball, day and overnight camps, and gymnastics.
1988
- Y holds first annual “Hoedown at Sundown” childcare fund-raiser, raising money to support childcare throughout the Valley.
1989
- Y after school programs were licensed per directive of California State Department of Social Services.
- Programs launched at Monroe Elementary in Bermuda Dunes and Ford Elementary in Palm Desert.
- Plans begin with the City of Palm Desert for Y facility construction/lease with the Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency.
1990
- Y Palm Desert facility opened on San Pablo Avenue, creating a central location to better serve families and children
1991
- Y opened YMCA La Quinta Preschool.
1994
- Merger with Girls, Inc., in Indio. Boards of Directors merged, creating a more diverse and active Board to expand Y services.
1995
- Doris Mechanick Preschool state contract acquired; preschool opened.
1996
- Gymnastics Center opened on Berkey Drive in Bermuda Dunes.
- Rancho Mirage Child Development Center opened at Rancho Mirage Elementary site.
1997
- Jean Benson Preschool opened (February).
- Indio Youth Center (formerly Girls, Inc) went through extensive remodel and reopened in September.
1999
- Y opens Child Care Center at Carter Elementary in Palm Desert.
- La Quinta Preschool and Jean Benson Preschool state contracts acquired.
- Gymnastics Center closed in Palm Desert.
2001
- Opened Amelia Earhart Elementary in Indio (October).
2002
- Y Board of Directors and community leaders created a comprehensive Strategic Plan for future Y services and facilities.
2003
- Adopted Strategic Plan- formed new board teams.
2004
- Acquired the former Palm Springs Youth Center; re-opened as the Palm Springs Y.
- Opened Lincoln Elementary in partnership with the City of Palm Desert.
2005
- Y holds first annual “Charity Golf Tournament” (May).
- Opened Col Mitchell Paige Middle (September).
- Opened Adams Elementary (December).
- Opened Ben Franklin Elementary (December).
2006
- Became partners with Desert Sands Unified and Palm Springs Unified School Districts in providing the state funded “After School Education and Safety” program (ASES).
- Began outreach and fundraising for capital campaign (May).
- Opened Carrillo Ranch Elementary (September).
- Opened Ronald Reagan Elementary (September).
2007
- Contracted with the City of La Quinta to operate Y swim programs at Fritz Burns Pool.
- Family YMCA of the Desert celebrates 25th Anniversary (October).
- Launched partnership with Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) to provide after school programs at four low-income family housing communities:
- Coyote Run in Palm Springs (April), Arroyo de Paz in Desert Hot Springs (August), Fuente de Paz in Coachella (November), and Desert Gardens in Indio (October).
2008
- Free swim program (April).
- Y Be Fit program began in Desert Hot Springs (September).
- Opened Vista Dunes in La Quinta (Hope Through Housing) after school program (October).
2009
- Free swim program (April).
- Y Be Fit program renewed for another year in Desert Hot Springs.
- Opened CVHC sites Paseo de los Heroes I in Mecca (September) and Las Casas in Coachella (September).
2010
- Opened CVHC site at Wolff Waters in La Quinta (March).
- Shoes That Fit program in Desert Hot Springs (May).
- Opened CVHC site at Paseo de Los Heroes 2 in Mecca (August).
- Opened Hope Through Housing site at River Canyon in Cathedral City.
- Acquired additional PSUSD ASES sites; the YMCA becomes the official ASES program provider for 20 schools (16 elementary / 4 middle) in the district (September).
2011
- Family YMCA selected by City of Palm Desert to operate $7.5 million Palm Desert Aquatics Center, under construction (February).
2012
- Special Guest appearance of Olympic Swimmer Janet Evans; Hoedown at Sundown, 2012
- Acquired additional PSUSD ASES site at Painted Hills Middle School (August).
- Opened CVHC sites at Rosa Gardens in Palm Springs (August) and Brisas de la Paz in Desert Hot Springs (November).
2013
- Sustaining Campaign Honorary Chair, Janet Evans, former Olympiad.
- Swim to Win – Largest one day Swim Safety Day ever held in valley – featuring 6 Olympian Swimmers and over 2000 people in attendance.
2014
- Sustaining Campaign Chair, Carl Karcher of CLK Enterprises (2013, 2014).
- Just Add Swim (formerly Swim to Win) – Largest one day Swim Safety Day ever held in valley featuring Olympic Swimmers; over 2000 people in attendance.
- Record breaking attendance at our Summer Day-Camps and Overnight Camps.
- Inaugural year for Y-Be-Fit-Palm-Desert-Challenge: Reverse-Mini-Triathlon, 5K Run/Walk, 1K Color Run/Walk.
2015
- Successful Annual Campaign exceeded goal by $100,000.
- New CVHC sites at Rosa Gardens (Palm Springs) and Brisas de la Paz (Desert Hot Springs).
2017
- Conducted the first annual YMCA winter charity golf tournament. “Rocking for the Kids” was a huge success and featured celebrity host Mickey Thomas from Starship.
- YMCA was selected as nonprofit of the year by Palm Desert area Chamber of Commerce.
2018
- City of Palm Desert renewed the lease to manage all programs at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center.
- Acquired programming from Christopher’s Clubhouse, a local nonprofit that teaches children a variety of safety skills. The YMCA will continue this valuable program to provide life skills in the area of safety for all children.
2019
- Successful winter Golf Tournament with Honorary Chair, Mickey Thomas of Starship fame.
- Dodi Henry, The Nest, Sustaining Campaign Chair (2017, 2018); Record breaking year!
- YMCA acquired portable buildings at Amelia Earhart Elementary to conduct before and after school programs.
- Ended partnership with the City of La Quinta to run Fritz Burns pool.
- Infant Care Center (3 months and above); Opening Summer, 2019.
2020
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June – Board of Directors Leadership Inauguration. Patrick Klein, Board President, Rick Shalhoub, President Elect, and Davidi Compton, Immediate Past President.
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April – Childcare programming for children of Essential Workers and First Responders was launched.
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August – Distance Learning Program in partnership with for children at all valley wide schools began.
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September – Red, White & Blue Challenge Golf event
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October – Virtual Y Be Fit
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November – Hoedown at Sundown Denim to Diamonds Virtual Auction
2021
- January to May – Distance Learning Program in partnership with our valleywide schools continue for our Y children.
- March 1 – YMCA B.I.G. Campaign; Believe, Inspire, Give Annual Campaign kicks off.
- May 8 – YMCA B.I.G Campaign Telethon
- May 21 – YMCA Golf Around the World Tournament at Indian Wells Country Club
- November 6 – YMCA Hoedown at Sundown Western Themed Event