Dow Westside YMCA Making Progress

Louisiana - February 09, 2006

	The steel support beams are going up at the Dow Westside YMCA on the west side of Louisiana Highway 1 in Addis. The 21,000 square foot YMCA facility is schedule to be completed in late summer of 2006. .

The new Dow Westside YMCA building, located on the west side of Louisiana Highway 1 in Addis across from the New Benedetto’s Grocery Store, is beginning to take shape. The steel support beams began going up several weeks after the foundation was finished in mid January.

“We are excited to help bring the YMCA to the Westside,” said Lee Trusty, vice president and site director of Dow’s Louisiana Operations. “In talking with folks in our community, we understand there is a need for aquatics, after school programs, holiday and summer camps, teen and senior programs, and a broad array of wellness and education programs. We hope that this partnership with the YMCA will help meet many of these needs.”

The 21,000 square foot YMCA facility will include a swimming pool, fitness and aerobics areas, men’s and women’s locker rooms, an activity room and a nursery. Funding for the new facility has been made possible thanks to a number of generous business and community donations, including a $1 million challenge gift from The Dow Chemical Company, the donation of land from Johnny Blount, Calvin Blount and Ross Grand of Sugar Mill Plantation, LLC., valued at $800,000; and the Westside community raising the rest.

Membership drives will be in late march with the facilities scheduled to be opened in late summer of 2006.  Membership at the Dow Westside YMCA will also be good at every other YMCA location in the greater Baton Rouge area. The YMCA currently operates seven locations in the Capital Area, serving some 70,000 members in our communities. 

For Editorial Information:

Gary Cambre
The Dow Chemical Company