The Russell Gymnasium at the Boothbay Region YMCA was full of motion, laughter, and cheers on Thursday, March 19, as more than three dozen young basketball players in grades 3 through 6 gathered for an evening of contests, food, and fun. Families filled the bleachers, young athletes lined up eagerly for their turns, and the sound of basketballs hitting the floor and swishing through the net echoed through the gym. The event was festive and energetic, but it also marked something much bigger: the official launch of the YMCA’s Y-Hoops fundraising project, a capital effort to renew one of the community’s most well-loved athletic spaces. 

Held directly after Tim Pinkham’s travel team practice, the special event featured three contests: free throw shooting, 3-point shooting, and dunking. It was free of charge with donations accepted for the project.

Players cheered each other on throughout the evening, celebrating one another’s successes and offering support when a shot did not quite fall. Younger players took turns on a lower hoop for the dunk contest, while older kids and families encouraged them with enthusiasm. The gym was alive with energy, encouragement, and pride.

That atmosphere made the perfect backdrop for the evening’s big announcement. Boothbay Region YMCA CEO Andy Hamblett shared with the crowd that the Y is launching a capital fundraising effort to renovate the Russell Gymnasium. Phase one will take place during the school’s April vacation and includes stripping and refinishing the gym floor, putting down new basketball and volleyball lines, and adding an updated Y logo. The second phase includes replacing the gym’s six aging basketball hoops with new electronic hoops that can be adjusted for different age groups and programs, making the space more flexible for a wide range of age groups and players. 

In addition to the new hoops, the YMCA hopes donor support will also make possible an electronic dividing curtain to create two practice areas and new electronic retractable bleachers similar to those at Boothbay Region High School. The effort has received $31,400 prior to the event and another $282.31 was collected that evening. The overall goal for the project of $230,000.

“Our region’s strong culture of basketball, and our legacy at the Y, is the reason why we wanted to invest in this space,” Hamblett told those gathered. “We know that it needs to be refreshed and we’re excited to get after it now, and we invite you all to participate if you are interested.” 

His remarks struck a chord because the Russell Gymnasium is more than just a room with hoops and bleachers. For generations, it has been a place where children have learned skills, built confidence, and experienced the joy of being part of a team. It has also been a gathering place for families, neighbors, coaches, and volunteers, many of whom have deep ties to the Y and to basketball in the Boothbay region. Parents who now sit in the bleachers cheering for their children often remember their own time in the gym, whether as players, siblings, volunteers, or spectators. In that way, Russell Gym has long been part of a larger community story, one that connects one generation of young athletes to the next. 

Hamblett shared a personal reflection that captured that continuity. He said he had recently been in the gym watching a former basketball player passing the ball with his 12-year-old. Since Hamblett has been CEO at the Y for 24 years, he realized that he was watching two generations on the court. It was a simple but powerful reminder of how long the Y’s basketball tradition has been woven into community life, and why this project matters not just as a facilities update, but as an investment in the region’s future. 

In addition to the Russell Gymnasium being the heart of Y-Hoops, it also serves as a large multi-purpose space like Wednesday night adult pick-up Volleyball games, rollerblading, floor hockey, Y-Arts performances, youth dances, movie nights, and special events. It is even used by businesses when extensive indoor space is needed, including our local sailmaker when he needs to measure and cut large scale sails on the floor.

The Y-Hoops effort reflects both the region’s legacy and the practical needs of the present moment. Updated equipment will allow the gym to better serve players of different ages and abilities, create more flexible practice space, and improve the experience for families and spectators. Just as importantly, the project is about caring for a place that has meant so much to so many people over the years. 

The event itself reflected the joyful, community-centered spirit the effort hopes to celebrate. Youth Program Director Adam Taylor conceived of the contests and helped keep the evening moving with music, encouragement, and plenty of enthusiasm. By the end of the night, his voice was hoarse, but the energy in the gym had hardly faded. Taylor later said, “I had such a good time that I think we need to have more of these events!”

Throughout the evening, participants and families enjoyed pizza, hot dogs, Peggy Pinkham’s delicious homemade macaroni and cheese, vegetables, fruit, basketball-themed cupcakes, and drinks. Small basketball-themed favors, including squeezy basketballs, fidget pens, and stickers, added to the celebratory feel. The event was made possible by a wide circle of volunteers and supporters, and the atmosphere in the gym reflected that collective effort. 

Several naming opportunities are available as part of the Y-Hoops campaign. One especially fun option is the chance to “fund your shirt number,” allowing donors to give in honor of a favorite jersey number at a level that is meaningful to them. For example, someone whose number is or was 19 might choose to give $1.90, $19, $190, or another amount. The idea offers a playful way for donors to honor a child, parent, coach, friend, or favorite basketball memory while becoming part of the campaign in a personal way.

The YMCA is also offering opportunities for business banners, commemorative signs, and named spaces within the gym. Pledges of any size are welcome and may be paid over time, for as long as five years, including through a monthly draw. The campaign is designed to make participation possible for supporters at many levels.

The YMCA also announced several early naming gifts that already connect the project to families whose roots in local basketball run deep. The new hoops at each end of the court have been named in honor of I.J. Pinkham by the Pinkham family, and the hoop closest to the Russell Gym doors has been named by the Blethen family. The court itself is named in honor of Ann and George Cochran by their children. These early commitments help anchor the campaign in community memory while also helping move the project forward. 

While every participant brought enthusiasm to the contests, a few athletes earned special recognition by the end of the evening: 

• Cooper Marr, the 5/6 free throw champ 

• Owen James, the 5/6 3-point champ  

• Ethan Copeland, the 3/4 free throw champ  

• Charlie LeGree, the 3/4 3-point champ  

• Ben Alley, Dunking champ  

In many ways, the contest winners, cheering families, longtime volunteers, and early donors all represented the same thing: the strong network of people who have helped make YMCA basketball such an important part of life in the Boothbay region. The Y-Hoops campaign is intended not only to improve the gym, but also to preserve and strengthen a space where young athletes can grow, friendships can form, and community traditions can continue for years to come. 

For more information about supporting Y-Hoops, visit the Boothbay Region YMCA website at www.boothbayregionymca.org/donate/supporty-hoops or contact Allyson Goodwin at agoodwin@brymca.org or (207) 633-2855, ext. 290. 

Special thanks to volunteers Tim, Alexandra, and Peggy Pinkham, Kirk Engrasci, Joe Frey, Mark Short, and Charlie Britton, the Boothbay House of Pizza, Emily LeGree for jumping in everywhere, Lisa McIntosh, and to Trevor Tibbetts and Adam Taylor for being such slam dunks with their help and enthusiasm.