Merry Christmas * Feliz Navidad *  聖誕快樂 * Joyeux Noël

عيد ميلاد مجيد* Frohe Weihnachten * Buon Natale 

Prettige Kerstdagen * Feliz Natal メリー クリスマス

Χαρούμενα Χριστούγεννα * Veselé Vánoce

Hauskaa joulua * 메리 크리스마스 * Wesołych Świąt!* God jul

Веселого Різдва * Счастливого Рождества

Hello Craig,

We all, leadership team members of the World Fellowship of YMCA Retirees, would like to thank you for your support throughout the year.

It was a pleasure meeting some of you in Denmark during the World Alliance of YMCA's “Ignite” Council in July 2022. I hope to meet many more of you throughout the coming years.

We are a worldwide organization, so we celebrate various holidays and at different times around the world. We do share common beliefs and goals. And on that note, I share my hope for a very blessed Holiday Season with an upcoming year filled with happiness and health. Merry Christmas

Warmly,

KoheiYamada

WFYR Chair, 2022-2026

As we look forward to the arrival of 2023, this issue of Bridges provides a cup of good cheer, brimming with anticipation for exciting WFYR events scheduled for the coming year, mixed with reports of events and celebrations that took place this year.

Your editors wish each reader continued happiness and good health in the coming year, as well as opportunities to celebrate with loved ones. We were blessed in 2022 to celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary with family and friends. (photo left). 

WFYR is poised for a breakout year after more than two years of having to stay in touch via Zoom or having to postpone gatherings due to COVID restrictions. But it also appears our organization has learned the value of maintaining video connection to our members separated across continents or oceans. There will be an opportunity for all WFYR members to connect during two or three worldwide Zoom sessions in 2023. Watch for details.

During the darkest days of the pandemic, our WFYR groups provided funds for retirees struggling to cope with rising costs and limited, or non-existent, retirement funds. We just have learned nearly 100 retirees being aided by funds from Secours Speciaux will be receiving a year-end gift equivalent to $300 to help with the overwhelming inflation of costs associated with daily living expenses.

The cruel war in the Ukraine is affecting all of us and will continue to require support from those blessed with the means to cope with the impact. Christmas will be a little brighter thanks to Secours and we must continue to donate and raise funds to help our fellow retirees find reasons to dance with happiness.

Our friends in the southern hemisphere have provided us with another reason for joy. Spring and new beginnings are combined with the promises of Christmas and the New Year. It is a time when we draw nearer to our loved ones and plan for happy times in the coming year.

New Features for Bridges:

Members Photos: We have so many members involved in volunteer, artistic, or adventurous endeavors around the world. Your editors invite you to share a photo or two you consider noteworthy and would like to share with WFYR members in Bridges.

Below are some photos provided by Wendy Fox, who makes her home a work of art during the Christmas season. Wendy is an active member in her local chapter of YMCA Alumni USA

Historic Notes: Perhaps readers of Bridges have some historical notes available to share of a visit John R. Mott made to your country during his lifetime. 

Send your photos and notes to Len Wilson so they may be shared in Bridges.

Vice President/East Larry Garvin provided us with a detailed update on YMCA Alumni Reunion ’22 in early November. There was a small deficit, understandable given all the rescheduling due to COVID. The attendee satisfaction survey results were very positive and supported our continued effort to hold these reunions. Well-deserved recognition was given to Larry and his reunion committee for a job well done. (Photos above.)

At our recent board meeting, following a lengthy discussion, we decided not to print and mail our newsletter, but provide only an electronic version. Factors in this decision included cost, available design capabilities and the more flexible space and process time an electronic version offers. We are considering how to reach members without email.

I want to pass along our best wishes for a happy, safe, and healthy holiday time and New Year.

New India officers and board: Mr. Swaraj Sircar, Mr. T. Thomas, Mr. P. Daniel Kanyakumari, Mr. Emmanuel Sanga, Mr. Stanley C. Karkada, Mr. S. V. Rathnakumar, Mr. John Varughese and Mr. Bernard Raj Kumar

The India Fellowship of YMCA Retirees (IFYR) is functioning effectively by facilitating productive interaction between all the communicative members. The management of the IFYR WhatsApp groups have been efficiently coordinated for strengthening fellowship through sharing of health information, birthdays, anniversaries and thus maintaining long-term and genuine association among the members. 

The present officers and members of the Executive committee were elected at the Silver Jubilee conference held during 28th to 30th March 2022 at Madras: President, Mr. Stanley C. Karkada (Bombay); Vice President: Mr. S. V. Rathnakumar (Bangalore); Secretary/Treasurer : Mr. John Varughese (Ernakulam). Members: Mr. T. Thomas, Ernakulam, Vice Chair (South Asia); WFYR & Immediate Past President, IFYR, Mr. Emmanuel Sanga (Ranchi); Mr. P. Daniel Kanyakumari, Mr. Bernard Raj Kumar, (Madras), Chaplain, and Mr. Swaraj Sircar, (Kolkata - Invitee).

The first formal meeting of the IFYR Executive Committee and launching of the Activities and Service projects of the organization was held on 17 September 2022 hosted by Mr. Stanley C. Karkada at his Guest house in Udupi, Karnataka.

The committee adopted the Plan of Action for the activity year. The official launching of the projects of the IFYR was conducted in the evening on the same day. Mr. R. S. Shettian, Hony. Treasurer, National Council of YMCAs of India, was the Chief Guest of the function.

(Photo above: John Varughese, Secretary/Treasurer, IFYR; Below: Formal launching of the Activities and Service Projects of the year by Mr. R. S. Shettian, Hony, Treasurer, National Council of YMCAs of India)

Our group has been very active. After Aarhus, the newly elected committee has held Zoom meetings monthly. The Executive Committee is formed by members from Chile, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Latin Americans living in the USA and Uruguay. Participation is fluid and we communicate several times a week on a more personal level through our Whatsapp group.

The Latin Americans living in the USA, now called LATINET, have held a very moving 3-day gathering in Florida and a surprise celebration party for Jerry Prado Shaw and his wife Martha. I am glad I had the opportunity to participate in the discussions directly from Buenos Aires using the Zoom platform. I also have been invited and have participated in the monthly Brazilian retired group called ABRASA Zoom meetings. 

Plans for the future: We have invited all Latin Americans for a Zoom gathering in Spanish soon with Renata Ferrari, Senior Director for Global Advancement YMCA of the USA, to talk about The World Council and specifically about Vision 2030. She also will tell us first-hand about the YMCA in Ukraine as she was recently learning about the YMCA work in the country itself and in refugee camps nearby. 

We have decided to organize yearly Zoom gatherings for members from all over huge Latin America and the Caribbean areas on relevant themes. 

Several Latin American YMCAs are over 120 years old. L.A. WFYR is present in the celebrations sending birthday messages.

Our Latin American Agape 2nd international meeting, to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, was postponed twice and finally cancelled due to the pandemic. The committee decided on a new site and date: Agape Buenos Aires September 2023. We are working on the details to be presented to the committee.

Whether it's wrapped presents on Christmas morning, a plate of cookies, or a simple card, giving a gift is a great way to express your love for someone and what they mean to you.

From our hearts to yours, we wish you to have a Christmas season and a new year full of blessings, health, financial and most important relationship blessings.

If you have ever seen “A Charlie Brown Christmas” almost at the end you may have seen Linus delivering a powerful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. We are to “fear not,” for Jesus is born. We needn’t rely on material things for security, we have God with us, “Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23).  

"Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior - the true meaning of Christmas. Let’s strive to “fear not” (Luke 2:10) and “love one another” (John 13:34), not just at Christmas time, but the whole year through.”

(Photos below: This is also the time where we have the wonderful opportunity to give back to our communities! Here are small snapshots of them.)

Goodness is stronger than evil;

Love is stronger than hate; 

Light is stronger than darkness; 

Life is stronger than death; 

Victory is ours through Him who loves us. 

With these words of Desmond Tutu, we greet you all from Germany and we pray for all the people who suffer from war, misery and sorrow in this torn world. Yes, light is stronger than darkness. Let us rely on that. With this certainty we can commit ourselves and be light for others. 

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." (Isaiah 60:1) 

Devotion, good conversation and Christmas carol singing, we had a nice evening with friends today. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. 

It has been a busy and rewarding year with many activities. Here are the highlights:

Tielines: Six bi-monthly editions were published. The Alumni membership has noted its appreciation for the newsletter’s quality and content. It is the key source for Alumni to be kept informed.

Four Virtual Gatherings: The Alumni Program Committee organized four virtual gatherings covering the following themes;:Opportunities and Challenges faced by Y leaders through the pandemic; Truth and Reconciliation in Canada and how we can get involved; Mental Health and Resilience during the COVID 19 Pandemic (hosted and organized by the YGTA Alumni Hub), and the new Vision 2030 developed by the World Alliance of YMCAs. 

Secours Speciaux: John Haddock led our campaign to raise funds to support YMCA retirees in YMCAs that don’t have the capacity to provide retirement plans and support. 61 Alumni donated $13,440. The Canadian YMCA Alumni added an additional $2,000 for a total donation of $15,440. We extend our thanks to John Haddock for championing our campaign and the Alumni donors for their generous response.

Canadian YMCA Alumni webpages: Thanks to YMCA Canada! As YMCA Canada refreshed its website this year, they provided space for the Alumni webpages to be included. Past issues of Tielines, our by-laws and other materials are now easily accessible to all members of the Canadian YMCA Alumni at https://www.ymca.ca/canadian-ymca-alumni-association.

YMCA Sponsored YMCA Alumni Hubs: The Moncton and the YGTA are two active YMCA sponsored Alumni Hubs. We look forward to the formation of more YMCA sponsored Alumni Hubs in the future.

Canadian YMCA History Project: The Canadian YMCA Alumni has identified a need to record the dramatic changes in the Canadian YMCA over the past 7 decades.  A committee has been struck to coordinate and champion this initiative. The first phase is to “visit” with retired volunteers and staff to capture and record their experiences. These virtual visits will begin in early 2023.

New Executive: The current Executive completes its two-year term in December 2022. 

Officers for the 2023-2024 Alumni Executive are as follows: Janet Giles, President; John Haddock, Executive Vice President; Martha Lee Blickstead, Secretary; Sol Kasimer, Treasurer; Gary Gray, Communications; Jackie Jenkins, Membership; John Haddock, Secours Speciaux; TBC, Program Committee Chair, Franco Savoia, Past President.

Alumni Awards: Jim Bonk and the Alumni Awards Committee sought and received nominations of Alumni who continue to contribute to the YMCA and their local community. Heartfelt congratulations and sincere thanks to these award recipients for their dedication the YMCA and their communities. Bravo!

2023: The Canadian YMCA Alumni extends best wishes to all our colleagues around the world, best wishes in 2023 for continued health and a continued collective effort to advance the Y’s mission.



During the past few months, the International Service Corp (ISC) has been working to rebuild relationships and create new opportunities worldwide. Each YMCA Alumni chapter in the USA has been invited to have a representative serve on the task force which meets monthly. Their goal is to find short-term volunteer opportunities for YMCA Alumni. 

The ISC Task Force has met with Juan Iglesias, Secretary General of YMCA Europe, and Emma White, President of YMCA Europe who shared insights into the ways YMCAs in countries surrounding Ukraine are aiding refugees. They explained they were still developing logistics but would look forward to ISC volunteer support in the future. 

Discussions have also begun with Rodrigo Antonio Merino, Secretary General for Latin America/Caribbean, to determine needs. ISC Task Force members have contacts in several of the countries for future collaboration.

ISC also is seeking to support YMCAs in the U.S. that have partnerships with YMCAs abroad.

If our WFYR friends know of a YMCA that could benefit from short-term volunteer support, please email ISC Chair, Wayne Uhrig .

(Photo: Wayne Uhrig, ISC Chair)

Very sad news from Y’s Retired of the UK. Readers of Bridges and WFYR leaders around the world will miss the talents and dedication of two great leaders for decades behind the success of Y’s Retired of the UK.

Current President Graham Clarke and Secretary Vic Hill have provided details on the passing and lasting achievements of two great leaders for Y retirees in the UK.

David Smith (left photo) passed on 3 Oct. 2022 and Jim Lamb (right photo) followed on 1 December. Both men had decades of service for their YMCAs as well as lengthy tenure with Y’s Retired. Both were active leaders in their churches and beloved by friends and family. They were the glue within their retiree organization, and it will be difficult to replace such leaders and dedicated workers.

It has been said that David’s enthusiasm for the movement led him to be the editor and producer of the Y’s Retired newsletter “which was the cement that held Y’s Retired together.”

Jim lamb’s passion for the work of the movement stretched over 60 years and included a great commitment to ensuring the development of Y’s Retired along with Reg Wake. For many years he was the driving force behind the Annual Cambridge Reunion Lunch.

WFYR and readers of Bridges offer condolences to both families along with prayers and encouragement for Y’s Retired of the UK to keep the memories of these two great leaders as it moves into the new year with a dedication to preserving their legacies and contributions as retirees.

BRIDGES is produced for all who wish to receive it. Just click the button below.

BRIDGES is published with the support of YMCA Alumni of the USA. Editors: Len and Joyce Wilson. Production by Craig Altschul + Associates, Tucson, Arizona, USA