YMCA of Southwest Kansas changes up Keeping Our Promise program
(Story Courtesy of the YMCA of Southwest Kansas)
GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The YMCA of Southwest Kansas has ignited a new twist to the Keeping Our Promise (KOP) program. The KOP is a year-end Christmas gift to all the elementary and intermediate schools in Dodge City, Garden City and Holcomb. In December and January, the YMCA awarded a free membership to a 154 youth.
“We are excited about the great opportunity to partner with Edward Jones in Dodge City and Prudential Insurance in Garden City to offer extensions to four of our top KOP users,” YMCA of Southwest Kansas CEO Chad Knight said. “This follows suit with our focus areas of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. I salute Lloyd and Greg for supporting this program.”
This past year while visiting with Lloyd Davis, he wanted to create a new way to entice the youth to a healthier lifestyle. Lloyd asked our CEO Chad Knight if he remembered when the Presidential Award for Fitness was awarded in schools by a Past President of the USA. Lloyd said we need to do something for our youth to help promote fitness and get the kids active. During their discussion, Lloyd and Chad decided to recognize the highest boy and girl user from this past year KOP recipients. This is based on their membership usage and program participation. The winners will receive an additional year of free membership. Chad immediately went back to Garden City and visited with Greg Calzonetti of Prudential Insurance about the new concept. Greg was the inaugural sponsor of the KOP program in 2000. Greg was thrilled to collaborate with the YMCA on this new idea.
“We all need to be pushed a little, it’s a good thing. With this obesity dilemma, we need to get a handle on it. We must get people in the habit of physical fitness. Being fit, you help everybody and you are going to be a happy person, said Lloyd Davis, Edward Jones representative.
In Garden City, we will award 110 youth a free membership. For Dodge City, we will provide 52 students a free membership. The winners of this new concept were Achilles Marin and Monique Carmoan from Garden City. For Dodge City, the winners are Arlette Botello and Christopher Ruiz.
“I like the YMCA because you guys have a whole bunch of sports for us to play. Also, we get the membership for free. Another thing is your sports teams are fun. Thank you YMCA,” said Achille Marin.
Knight solicits sponsors of $125 to help defray the costs of the youth membership. We appreciate all the other sponsors as well for recognizing our area youth. The sponsors include: Glen and Mary Ellen Woods, Garnand Funeral Home, Keller Leopold Insurance, Karen & Denton Berry, Red D Electric, Ross Halsey, Todd O’Neil, Western State Bank, JD & Rusty Farr, Grant & Polly Elpers, Steve & Mary Karlin, Todd & Kelly Tichenor, Tatro Plumnbing, First National Bank, Windriver Grain, GC Coop, Bill & Jean Clifford, Bob & Jeanie Dey, American Implement, Lee Construction, D & A Farms, Lance & Dana Woodbury, Troy & Jessica Dirks, Koster Enterprises, David Riffel, WKCF Matching Grants, Chad & Roni Knight, Kansas Value Kard, Max Miller, Martin & Judy Nusser, Dean & Jeanne Kleysteuber, Commerce Bank, Pizza Hut, Pepsi, Russ & Lisa Frey, Carolyn Banning, Jason Putnam, Nannette Pogue and many anonymous donors.
Here is a listing of the winners for both branches:
Garden City: St. Dominic (Kyei Sin Ta & Savannah Mastin), Gertrude Walker (Victor Mata-Martinez, Isaac Owens, Adrian Urteaga, Steven Lara, Hailey Moreno, Jaslene Villanueva), Bernadine Sitts (Bradley Love, Oban La, Geraldy Jiminez, Victor Ortiz, Trevor Salazar, Albert Revolorio, Alyn Cruz, Leonardo Yanez, Rylan Tovar), Buffalo Jones (Carolina Ventura, Odalis Janaz, Ariana Ortiz, Maria Jose Ramos, Adan Khan, Davian Montoya), Jennie Barker (Jazzlynn Pruitt, Anthony Comacho, Troy Condo, Mary Condo, Ricardo Tovar-Jaco, Ruben Martinez, Jr), Jennie Wilson (Jaszmyn Burns, Jeszelle Burns, Marrina Calderon Rodriguez, Damian Calderon Rodriguez), St. Mary’s (Christian Macias, Isabel Espino, David Ordonez, Saida Ramos, Anayeli Moncada), Georgia Matthews (Evelyn Garcia-Gonzalez, Estrella Saravia-Gonzalez, Andrea Rodriguez, Alexa Gonzalez, Evan Olivas, Arian Olivas), Alta Brown (Sofia Geuvera-Patterson, Choloe Patterson – Guevara, Adrian Salinas,Fernando Salinas, Stanley Butler, Allayzza Butler), Victor Ornelas (Braxton O’ Keefe, Valdimar Gonzales,Aiden Duarte, Kynslee Rogers, Miguel Hinojoa-Alfaro, Saulk Ortega, Dason Obholz, Margarita Cruz, Ahilynee Hernandez, Xavier Lucero, Ulises Ornelas, Abirana Martinez), Edith Schuerman (Jayden Vasquez,Demtrius Kelley, Fabian Ollarzabel, Homero Ollarzabel, Aondra Aguilera, Adrian Aguilera), Abe Hubert (Kaden Quinines, Evelyn Chavez, Jahzara Montemayor, Odir Ferman, German Ferman, Victoria Carillo, Johnny Medrano), Charles Stones (Danny Doan, Devin Hauschild, Zaid Sanchez, Desmyn Riis, Keaton Bonderancko, Gabe Collazo, John Michael Kurtz, Kaylin Nonhof, Fransisco Chavez), Plymell (Abigail Gossman, Jack Gossman, Daniel Gossman, Saniyah Ruiz, Jameya Ruiz, Elias Ruiz, Cooper Whittaker, Hattie Whittaker, Fernando Barragan, Valeria Barragan), Florence Wilson (Zyeer Brownless, Zylia Korath Brownlee, Dereion Gaines, Caylee Beasley, Deegan Beesley, Mariano Cabral Banuelos), Holcomb Wiley (Arrellano Macia, Faith Peitz, Actane Anderson, Jayden Cervantes), Holcomb Elementary (Antonio Ibarra,Sergio Lope-Chirez, Evan Peitz, Rozalyn Barr, Khilyn Barr, Alan Corrales)
Dodge City: Beeson (Araliz Enciso Escobedo, Daisy Alfaro Aguilar, Stacie Ettcity, Jessica Gomez, Jefferson Sanchez Ramos, Griselda Alvarado, Bryan Martinez), Northwest (Dominic Myers, Jessandra Martinez, Julio Morales, Brady Reyes, Kayden Reynolds, McKenzye Thomas), Sacred Heart (Ian Chavez, Mya Peralta) Miller (Yaremy Macias, Deina Silva, Natalie Cuevas), Sunnyside (Denis Gutierrez, Mauricio Trigueros, Michelle Cisneros, Aryani Dominguez, Janessa Buendia, Adrian Curiel), Central (Laura Ortiz, Nathaniel Sandoval, Anaily Centeno, Damian Gonzalez, Xavyer Rodriguez), Ross (Gabe Paz, Anna Clevenger, Ayden Saenz, JayLynn Hixon, Alonso Lopez), Soule (Rebeca Carrillo, Sterling Smith, Charlie Montelongo, Domingo Lorenzo Ramos, Carlos Antonio Martinez, Julienne Torres, Stephenie Garcia Chanax), Wilroads (Margarito Arroyo Alba, Jesus Chacon Alvidrez, Angel Ramirez Quezada, Joel Ponce Lopez, Joel Bailey, Fatima Meza) Linn (Suzanna Biltz, Kevin Visoso, Emilio Gonzalez, Jose Marino, Alejandro Paula Baten)
“We are really excited to partner with the YMCA on this opportunity. This gives the youth an chance to explore the YMCA, “ said Greg Calzonetti from Prudential Insurance
