Ami Worthen, Marketing Director for the YWCA, says the completion of the construction project is a community success story, with over 850 individuals, companies, and foundations all contributing to the project.

The 33,500-square-foot renovation and addition provides the organization some much needed breathing room in the form of additional classrooms, a multi-purpose room, a fitness studio, and new office space.

In the new addition, five bright and colorful classrooms are being used primarily for youth services. The new classrooms, located on the first floor of the addition, each have a different theme - a multicultural room, art and music room, technology room (with new computers), science room, and a reading and tutoring room. New administrative offices are located upstairs in the addition, as is an 860-square-foot fitness studio. Classes in aerobics, yoga, Tai Chi, and kickboxing, among many other fitness opportunities, are being offered in the fitness studio.

But the addition is not the only thing that is new about the YWCA - the existing building, which had not seen any renovations at all in 25 years, has been completely updated. The locker rooms are all new (see second photo), with new lockers, showers, floors, and walls. There is a new lobby. The childcare center has been expanded, and is now able to serve twice as many children as before the expansion. As many as 49 children, ages six weeks to 5 years, can now be cared for in the all-day childcare center (some spaces for some ages are still available). The after-school program, for children in kindergarten through sixth grade, also has a few spaces available.

Drop-in care for the children of parents who are using the health and fitness center is also available through the childcare center.

One of the biggest changes that visitors will notice is that the former gym is now a new 1,200-square-foot fitness room (see photo on right). Serving as the hub of the health and fitness center, the fitness room houses all of the strength training and cardiovascular training equipment.

The YWCA's excellent pool continues to operate and offers swim lessons for everyone from babies to senior citizens.

The YWCA is a social change organization, and has stayed true to its mission, "Dedicated to the empowerment of women and their families and the elimination of racism." Toward that end, the YWCA offers a women's services area that includes offices and small group meeting rooms where they operate several programs, all designed to help the underprivileged. Among these programs are the Mother Love program for teen moms, the Witness Project for breast cancer awareness for African-American women, and the New Choices program for women in need of support as they make efforts to better their lives.

Mathews Architects was responsible for the addition and renovation of the facilities.

The Grand Opening ceremony is open to the public and will include tours of the facilities, food and drinks, children's activities, a ribbon cutting, and live entertainment. Tammy Watford, the popular WLOS-TV anchor, will act as MC.

For more information on the YWCA, please call 828-254-7206 or visit their web site at www.main.nc.us/ywca.