The CLC YMCA announced today that Lyn and Daniel Lerner of Merion Station, Pennsylvania have donated $250,000 toward the Y’s capital campaign. This gift is in addition to their previous donation of $211,000 given in recent years toward the expansion project.

The purpose of the capital campaign is to raise funds to build a sustainable new facility that meets the critical and diverse needs of the community. The facility design, which includes the renovation of the existing building, plus an aquatic center, is estimated to cost $8.5 million. The generous gift from the Lerners helps the Y reach the $8.5 million mark toward the cost of the renovation and construction. To date, the Y has raised $4.2 million.

Broadcasting pioneer Daniel Lerner retired from the radio industry after 40 years, having owned stations and built broadcast towers in Pennsylvania and other areas. He and his wife Lyn began visiting coastal Maine 30 years ago when their daughter Ann Poole and her husband Dirk moved to the area to live year-round. In the late ’90s, they built a home in Boothbay Harbor. In addition to the CLC and Boothbay YMCAs, the Lerners have supported other important local organizations, such as Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Lerner Garden of the Five Senses), Bigelow Laboratory and St. Andrews Hospital.

“I first became involved with the YMCA over 20 years ago in Philadelphia, where one of my radio stations was located,” said Dan Lerner. “Soon after joining the Board of Directors there, we embarked on building a new suburban Y. When the Rocky Run Y opened in 2001, it was one of the first YMCA's in the area with an aquatic center incorporating a swimming pool with an entry ramp for the disabled. What a wonderful idea!”

Lyn Lerner, said, “When our granddaughters Savanna and Marina Poole attended Edgecomb Eddy Elementary School they had to be bused to the Boothbay Harbor Y for swim class. It would be wonderful for the CLC YMCA located in Damariscotta, and serving a 10-town service area, to have its own aquatic center so kids, adults and seniors in the area can have a local pool to use without having to travel to another town.”

“Lyn and I believe this is a truly worthy goal and we are happy to do our part to make it happen,” added Dan.

“We are honored and delighted to receive this generous gift from Dan and Lyn, which will help immensely as we continue our work to raise the remaining $4.3 million,” said CLC YMCA CEO Meagan Hamblett. “Not only does this gift help our capital campaign, but it is a vote of confidence in our work and mission.”

The CLC YMCA plans to actively raise funds throughout the remainder of the year with the hope that the $8.5 million goal will be met. However, if the full amount is not raised, the Y will take a phased approach to the plan, beginning with the renovation of the existing facility plus some new construction, consisting of a suite of lockers, a new front entry and new access corridor, adding the aquatic facility in phase two. Regardless if the project is done in entirety or phased, renovation and construction will begin in the spring of 2017 under the leadership of JF Scott Construction.

Dennis Anderson, Board Chair of the Y, added, “Dan and Lyn understand the mission of the Y which is evident by this generous donation and other significant donations they have made in years past. We are grateful for their support in helping us reach our goal to build a Y that will serve this community for decades to come.”

For more information on the CLC YMCA’s Imagine the Future Capital Campaign and timeline, please visit http://www.clcymca.org/#!capital/c16ks.