Most mornings, Carol Ostermann can be found doing what she’s always done: showing up at the Boothbay Region YMCA. She heads to Lane Six, affectionately known as “Carol’s Lane,” with steady determination and quiet joy, and swims for an hour, just as she always has. 

On Sept. 17, 2025, Carol reached an extraordinary milestone: her 90th birthday. That day, she also became a recipient of the Y’s Dorothy Abbott Senior Stars Award, a benefit that provides a free membership to members in good standing once they turn 90. 

In many ways, Carol embodies the spirit of Dorothy Abbott who, in the early 1950s, petitioned the national YMCA to found a Y in the Boothbay Region. YUSA turned down the proposal, believing the Boothbay area was too small to support a YMCA. Dorothy and a handful of other local residentspersisted, and the Boothbay Region YMCA was founded on Nov. 16, 1955. She later served on the charter Board of Trustees and as Board Secretary, reflecting the hands-on commitment she brought to building the Y from the start. Dorothy lived to be 100, and the Dorothy Abbott Senior Stars Award program, created in 2007, celebrates lifelong wellness, steadfast service, and community connection, qualities Carol embraces as well. 

When Carol was recently asked to speak with the Board of Trustees, she shared what the Y means to her, and one reason rose straight to the heart of the Y’s mission. “I love that all second graders learn to swim here for free,” she said, “because we live near the water and every child should know how to swim if they live near our lakes and ocean!” The Y’s free swim program is made possible through grants, and lessons are offered to everysecond grader on the peninsula. 

Carol also lit up remembering a time when the Y became something even bigger than a place to swim. In 2023, the Boothbay schools experienced an emergency flood, and third-grade students were able to use newly renovated Y spaces as temporary classrooms while repairs were made. “It was so fun to see those kids every single day,” she said, “and to say hello and know that they were safe and able to go to school here at the Y. I was so proud that the Y was able to respond so quickly to help the school and those children.” 

Carol’s current care for her community includes helping neighbors through the AARP tax preparation program during tax seasonand volunteering at Sunday River with the adaptive ski program. 

Always ready with a warm smile, Carol is also a regular with the Y’s coffee crew in the member lounge, relaxing with friends after her swim. True to her New England spirit, she brings her own well-worn mug and enjoys the complimentary morning coffee offered to members. Carol is the living picture of what the Y is all about: showing up, welcoming others, and helping people feel seen, safe, and supported, day after day. 

“Even though Carol claims there’s a cold draft that comes from the door to her lane,” says Director of Aquatics David Washburn, “we love seeing her, and she makes the pool feel like home.”