While summer seemed to get off to a slow start this year, the Chambers Chapter has been working to provide the best opportunities to Connect, Travel, and Serve. Our thanks to Connie Clark for hosting the Spring Reunion in Youngstown, Ohio.
Those who attended enjoyed a beautiful glimpse of Youngstown’s famous Metro Park. We also had a chance to learn more about the Youngstown YMCA with a presentation by CEO Beth Scheller. Several also enjoyed a tour of the downtown Y facility, obviously a very well-maintained and beautiful asset to the community.
Vice President Tony Delisio met with the Nominating Committee to select and recruit nominees for the coming term. The slate of officer candidates will be presented for election at the Fall Reunion and will assume their duties on January 1, 2027. If you have suggestions for new Board members, please advise Tony. You are welcome to recommend yourself as well.
Tony also chaired the committee to review the chapter bylaws, which will be submitted for approval at the Fall Reunion. The purpose of the review was to monitor the chapter’s performance in regard to our bylaws, as well as to ensure that the bylaws are in accordance with those recently approved by the YMCA Alumni National Board.
In other chapter news, Julie Kauffman and Faith Settles have agreed to co-chair a new Caring Committee to improve communication with all chapter members. More on that later.
Four of our members attended “48 Hours,” an opportunity for chapter presidents and national board members to review the organization and its functions. In addition to Tony, who attended as President Elect, Chambers Chapter was represented by YMCA Alumni Board members Dianne Clark, Treasurer; Cindy Koenig, Asst Treasurer, and David Patterson, Membership Chairman.
One final note, Sue Smith, Chapter Newsletter Editor, has been appointed to represent Chambers Chapter on the YMCA Alumni National Reunion Planning Committee. The reunion will be held in Kansas City, MO June 16-19, 2027. More to follow later, but mark your calendars so we can support Sue.
That is all for now. If you wonder what your president is doing while all of this is happening, Jan and I are just returning home from the YMCA Alumni Travel Club’s cruise to Alaska. More to follow.
The YMCA Alumni / Chambers Chapter 2026 Fall Reunion dubbed by Hosts Dave and Jenn Patterson, "The Greatest Reunion of All Time," is set for September 9-11 in Berlin and Sugar Creek, Ohio's Amish Country.
Click on the button below for the Reunion Schedule and Registration Information. Please remember: Early registration is encouraged because tickets and accommodations are limited.
o This is the peak of the tourism season in the area.
o We have carefully selected the activities and venues.
o We expect a record turnout of YMCA Alumni.
o 9 or 18 holes at the Black Gold Golf Club
o World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock
o '50’s Rock n’ Roll concert at The Amish Country Theater
o Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum
o Cabin Creek… mini-golf, shuffleboard, driving range and more
o David Warther’s Carving Museum
o Plus… Good Food, Good Friends & Good Fellowship
o Because our retired lives are so active and busy, we are offering a three fee package to suit your time and interest. Choose 1 or 2 days to attend.
Paul Atkinson tops the podium at the 1956 YMCA National Swimming and Diving Championships. Left is Gene Turner, right is Chest Jastremski. Below, Paul and his wife, Jan, at the award ceremony.
PAUL ATKINSON
INDUCTED INTO YMCA SWIMMING
AND DIVING HALL OF FAME
By Faith Patton Settles
Paul Atkinson, one of our very own, was recently inducted into the National YMCA Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame inaugural class for his over 50 years of service to this YMCA program.
Paul’s accomplishments in the world of YMCA aquatics are extensive, and no one is more deserving of this honor than Paul. I recently interviewed Paul.
Paul was born in Toledo, Ohio and, as a youth, spent his summers at YMCA Camp Storer. He was always involved in swimming activities, swimming around the lake, across the lake as well as obstacle courses, winning many of these events.
As a teenager, Paul met assistant YMCA Physical Director and Swim Coach Tom Edwards at the Toledo Central Branch YMCA. After meeting with Tom, Paul became a member of his YMCA swimming team. He went on to develop into a pretty good swimmer and was able to compete in his first National YMCA Swimming and Diving championship in York, PA in 1952. Those initial experiences helped him earn a scholarship to Bowling Green State University. After the college swimming season in March of 1956, he competed in his second National YMCA championships in Omaha, NE.
After his college graduation, he became an Assistant Aquatics Director at the Toledo Central branch. This only lasted a few months as he had orders to report for active duty as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Artillery in January 1957 for two years. On February 15, 1959 he revived his YMCA career at the Dayton Central Branch YMCA under the direction of the Physical Director, Lou Cox, and Assistant Physical Director Harry Bradbury.
Paul personally credits Lou with giving him some of the finest training he ever received throughout his YMCA career. Paul’s Y career continued for nearly 35 years, and he served in many positions from Aquatic Director to Metro Staff in several YMCAs. Paul was rewarded for his accomplishments many times over at the local, regional, and national level.
Some of those accomplishments include coordinating and conducting the Ohio/West Virginia Area Swimming and Diving Championships and the Great Lakes Regional Swimming and Diving Championships; originating, planning, and promoting the Great Lakes Regional YMCA Swimming & Diving clinics; hosting and directing two National YMCA Swimming and Diving Championships.
Paul served as Aquatic Commissioner for the Ohio/West Virginia Area and the Great Lakes Region. He was honored as “Maverick Man of the Year” as an outstanding Physical Director in the Great Lakes Region for his dedicated leadership in aquatics and competitive swimming and diving. He served as a council member of the National YMCA Competitive Swimming and Diving Council since its inception and as YMCA representative to the United States Olympic Diving Committee.
Paul's most important contribution to the National YMCA Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame (in addition to his own swimming accomplishments) was his collection and maintenance of the historical results for many of these National Swimming and Diving Championships.
Paul shares that there is no limit to what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit, and he feels extremely blessed to have served the YMCA. The Chamber’s Chapter congratulates Paul on this recognition.
MIKE LIEBER:
A SPIRITUAL MOMENT; PLAY BALL
Recently, Marla and I drove 90 miles to watch our youngest grandson play Little League baseball. As we sat and watched this 10-year-old enjoy every moment of the game, we were surprised to see him on the
pitching mound (so were his parents).
Nevertheless, he was sterling on the mound with three strikeouts, no walks, and no runs. In addition, he caught a line drive back to the mound (or the line drive caught him). He was so excited, running to and from the mound and pitching like his older brother. It was why I fell
in love with baseball as a kid.
Sitting back as a proud papa, I thought of two things. First and foremost, kids without cell phones enjoy the sport without TV rights
or name, image, and likeness deals. It was a fun afternoon/evening.
Second, this is what our Heavenly Father must feel like when he sees
us (his children) do the right thing in his name. We know, and God
knows, that our hearts were innocent when we did a task in his name.
The amazing grace shared with us and spread by us must be pure light
to God.
So, as we drove home, I was glowing knowing that he accomplished this task with pure joy, and his heart was full, as was mine.
NEW COLUMN COMING IN SEPTEMBER
RECOGNITION, CELEBRATION, APPRECIATION
BY MARY MOOMAW
Let’s share what’s happening in our lives. We are starting a new column beginning with the September issue of CHAMBERS CHATTER to recognize the accomplishments, achievements, and milestones of our members. You can recognize yourself or another YMCA alumnus by submitting a very brief description of the event. Here are some examples:
Betsy Ross was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the Kiwanis Club of Washington, DC. She volunteered more than 1,776 hours in 2025.
Minnie and Mickey Mouse became first-time great-grandparents on April 12, 2026, when their daughter Millie gave birth to twin sons, Huey and Louie. The boys and their parents are doing well. In late May, Minnie and Mickey traveled to Orlando to visit the babies for the first time.
Rory McIlroy shot a hole-in-one on August 6 at the Green Clovers Golf Course in Northern Ireland. It was a 165-yard uphill shot and fellow YMCA alumni, Phil Mickelson, witnessed his accomplishment.
We will also be honoring milestone birthdays—those reaching the “0 and 5” years, such as 65, 70, 75, 80, etc. You do not need to submit anything to be recognized, as we have everyone’s birthdays on file.
In addition, we are considering honoring our Alumni friends who have passed away. Here is an example of a short tribute for the “In Memory of…” section:
Stephen King, YMCA Alumni and beloved athlete, passed away surrounded by loving family and friends at his home in Maine on November 22, 2025. While universally recognized for his prowess on the basketball court, he was also well-known for his newly acquired pickleball skills. RIP, my friend.
Submit something for the September newsletter no later than August 14 to Mary Moomawor call her at (517) 404-4032. But don’t worry if you miss the deadline, we’ll hold your information for the next newsletter.
We’re still playing around with the name and content for this column, so feel free to share your tips and ideas with Mary. In the beginning, the column will be flexible as we learn what you want and don’t want. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
SPRING REUNION RECAP
A FUN TIME IN YOUNGSTOWN IN MAY
Chambers Chapter members started the first day of our reunion with a hunt for each other, with half the lunch group gathering at one Bull ‘n Bear grill and half at another.
Some of us managed to connect at the Velma Davis Educational and Visitor Center and walked the Spring Fellowship Riverside Gardens. Tim Shetzer and Jim Guilchrist golfed in the pouring rain at a Pete Dye-designed golf course. That might not sound like fun, but it makes a good story.
Around 18 of us gathered at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown at 4 p.m. and had a great meal together at Avalon Pizza, a nearby Youngstown heritage restaurant. After dinner, we returned to the hotel for conversation, games, amazingly delicious treats, and reconnecting with each other.
Some 19 of us began the second day with a brief Chambers Chapter YMCA Alumni update and Continental Breakfast at the Doubletree Hilton while hearing an excellent overview of what’s happening at the Youngstown YMCA from Beth Scheller, CEO. Many went to the Y for a wonderful, guided tour of the renovated downtown facility afterward.
A group gathered for a very informative guided tour at the historical and beautiful Lanterman’s Working Grist Mill. Our remaining group enjoyed a box lunch along the rapids next to an original covered bridge, immediately after the tour. Some of us hiked a gorgeous trail along the rapids and stopped for ice cream before heading home. You don’t want to miss the upcoming Fall reunion and annual meeting in Amish Country. Our reunions really are enjoyable.
HISTORY:
WHO REALLY INVENTED BASKETBALL?
BY BILL MCALLISTER
Did Dr. James Naismith really invent basketball?
We are all familiar with the history of how basketball was first played: a physical education instructor at Springfield College named Dr. James Naismith nailed a couple of peach baskets to the wall in the gymnasium and taught some students how to play this new game.
The new book “Nais-MYTH, Basketball’s Stolen Legacy,” published in June 2025 and written by George and Darrill Fosty, with Brion Carroll, makes the case that Dr. James Naismith didn’t truly invent the game of basketball.
In 1891, Naismith wrote four principles that he believed should be used to develop a new game. He sent a pamphlet with the four principles to organizations, including YMCAs, throughout New England. The four principles were: “(1) the game should demand of, and develop used to develop the player the highest type of physical and athletic development, (2) the game should so easily be taken up that any individual could make a fair showing without a long period of practice, (3) it should be able to be played on any ordinary gymnasium floor, (4) it should be capable of being developed to such an extent as to hold the interest of the player when he had become expert in the fundamentals; in other words, it must be capable of being played as a team game.”
Lambert Will was a part-time teenage employee of the YMCA in Herkimer, New York and received the pamphlet from Naismith. The book's authors claims that Lambert Will actually wrote the rules and organized the first basketball game, also played in 1891. This claim is primarily based on a photograph of a Herkimer YMCA youth basketball team, including Will, holding a basketball with the year 1891 on it.
Will is also credited with inventing the metal rim (to replace the peach basket), the net (his mother knitted the first net) and the backboard.
The book does much to discredit James Naismith. The book paints him in a less than favorable light due to his ever-changing story of how and when he invented the game, and other inventions he claimed he made which were determined to be untrue. Stretching machine and hair dryers to name two.
The people of Herkimer are driven by their desire to rightfully recognize and honor Lambert Will and their town for its support of Will and their other native sons for their participation in forming the first basketball teams. They would like to see the Naismith name dropped from the official name of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. Ideally, they want the Hall of Fame to relocate to Herkimer, but they realize that probably will not happen.
If interested in more information, it is worth watching the podcast “The Way I Heard It,” by Mike Rowe, episode #241. In this podcast, Mike interviews Scott Flansberg who is recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records for his speed of mental calculations and is from Herkimer. On the podcast, Flansberg lays out the case for basketball being invented by Lambert Will in Herkimer.
IN OUR NEXT ISSUE...
Watch for reports from the following projects in our September Newsletter:
YMCA Alumni International Service Corps by Wayne Uhrig
YMCA World Service by Tony Delisio
NATIONAL SERVICE PROJECT:
COMPLETION BY END OF 2026
BY STEVE GUNN
The project in Dupree and La Plante is progressing well. Construction on Tiny Home #5 (not part of our project and funded by an anonymous donor) is underway and scheduled for completion this year. Additionally, the Twig (small-branch YMCA) in La Plante is moving forward with an expected total price tag of $170,000 and is slated for completion in 2026. Check the architect's rendering of the Twig above.
This is exciting news for YMCA Alumni, as over $1.1 million has been contributed to these service projects by alumni, donors, YMCAs, companies, and foundations nationwide. The Chambers Chapter has been instrumental in this success through its contributions over the past five years.
The four completed tiny homes are at full occupancy, and we are pleased to share that two new babies have been born into these homes. Here are a few quotes regarding the impact of these projects:
"Having the opportunity to reside in one of the tiny homes has given my children and me a new sense of stability... We were able to secure a new beginning." – Tiny Home Mother
"I'm looking forward to the YMCA (Twig) in La Plante. It’s going to bring opportunities and development to our youth and adults that we would have never had before." – Cap Pearman, Council Representative for District 6, La Plante
Thank you, Chambers Chapter, for your support of this inaugural National Service Project. I am incredibly proud of the members who have dedicated their time, talent, and treasure to this cause.
Our 2026 YMCA Alumni Donate Campaign has kicked off, and we need each of you to respond. We hope you watched this important video by Past President Jean Carmichael making this important case. If you missed it, click the button below. Please watch, then donate.
The need for helping others, even our colleagues, never ends. An example of how the EAF services play an important function, is the story of a young YMCA Program Director. He was a charismatic guy who drew people to himself as well as to YMCA camp, Youth in Government and other YMCA youth programs.
He was tragically stricken with cancer but worked continuously at the job he loved until he was no longer physically able to do so. Everyone who knew him remembers his smiling and saying “it's okay” right until the end. The EAF awarded him a grant to help meet the crippling expenses as he battled this disease.
This is just one of many examples of how the EAF makes an impact on the lives of our staff and retirees. It is the help that they otherwise would not receive. And this help is only possible with the generous support of our current YMCA staff and Retirees. Be a part of the help by making a donation to the EAF Fund today.
Click the button below to donate online or send a check to YMCA Emergency Assistance Fund, c/o YMCA of the USA, P.O. Box 7411037, Chicago, IL 60674-110378. Please be sure to indicate that you’re a member of the YMCA Alumni Chambers Chapter to ensure the chapter gets the proper recognition.
Escape on an unforgettable 16-day Pacific paradise journey aboard Emerald Princess, sailing round-trip from Los Angeles Jan. 25, 2027 to the magical Hawaiian Islands, offering lush volcanoes, vibrant culture, stunning beaches, and endless relaxation.
Click the button below for all available trips in 2026 and 2027.
I’m a little late getting the newsletter out this month because of recent events in our family. The actual details of what happened aren’t what’s important, but for me, the key part of it and the message that I want to take to heart is something that seems to be a common thread in much of what we write about and hear about: the importance of family and the importance of all types of personal relationships within our lives.
Our family was deeply challenged during these past few weeks, and the events that took place were tragic and something that will change us all forever. We learned that it’s important to really listen, not just to the words that are being said but to all those other signals that someone in distress might be sending.
Depression and mental health issues are real, and we need to do everything we can to get someone the help they need. Through it all, we came together as one, we came together across in-law relationships, step-sibling relationships, cousins, friends, neighbors, newly formed friendships, multiple religious faiths – every way imaginable just to support those that needed us most.
In the end, all we really have is each other. I know that I’m incredibly proud of the young people in our family, and I feel blessed to be part of this cross-section of families that are here for each other in the face of tragedy. May God bless all of our families throughout the rest of this summer season.
IMPORTANT NOTE:Please think twice when unsubscribing to any unsolicited email. If it has been sent to you by Constant Contact, they are not allowed, by law, to send any more emails to you, including from YMCA Alumni. Just flick away emails you don't want -- but please don't "unsubscribe." We can get you re-subscribed ONLY ONCE. Send us an email if you are not receiving our newsletters or you have accidentally unsubscribed and we will try to reinstate you. --editor
