BANGOR, Maine — A member of the Bangor region YMCA, Cathy Gero, made a pledge to give the non-profit organization $20,000 as a matching gift.
Gero herself went through chemotherapy a year ago in Bangor. Her happy place was the YMCA where she frequented and spent her afternoons at the pool or taking a group class. It's a place where she relaxed after long mornings at the hospital.
"All I wanted a place to do was just to go in.. swim, be alone, get strong, keep everything off my mind," said Gero.
Diane Dickerson is the CEO at the Bangor YMCA. She says they run an annual campaign where only 3 percent of the members donate. That sparked Gero to donate towards a non-profit that has given so much to her.
"I never knew that my fees didn't cover everything, and then I started thinking of everything that I use here that I don't pay additional for," said Gero.
$10,000 will go towards renovation the locker rooms for both men and women and the other $10,000 will support the Youth Development programs. Her pledge must be matched by kids' creative fundraising ideas, and the community efforts to help support the programs.
Gero's pledge must be matched between now and the end of November.
"She has created the beautiful idea that the members have to match that 10 thousand and the kids and their parents and our teens have to really work to match the other 10 thousand..she is making her money go a lot further," said Diane Dickerson, the CEO at the Bangor YMCA.
Gero wants the kids to understand the importance of helping others.
"I want them to learn to pass it on to future generations, that nothing is free," said Gero.
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