The Valley of the Sun YMCA has just completed a record year of participants in its winter sports program. This stellar year comes after the recent addition of the YMCA Adult Basketball League (YABL), and the expansion of youth sports programs late last year.

The Valley of the Sun YMCA, the state’s oldest nonprofit, is celebrating 120 years serving the people of Arizona throughout the month of October. Capping off the celebration month is the 44th running of the Y Race Phoenix at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27 at South Mountain Park.

Remember the movie “Kingpin” where Woody Harrelson, the bowling prodigy, is heading to Reno for the biggest event of his life, the million-dollar take-all bowling tournament. This year the location is ‘Tukee and it may not be a million-dollar take-all tournament, but it is a very special event that is looking to raise up to $60,000 for families in our community — The YMCA Frames for Families Bowling event.

The 2012 Y Angels golf tournament and dinner, now in its eighth year and held last month, has raised more than $1.5 million dollars for the Valley of the Sun YMCA’s education scholarship programs. What began as a charity event to help fund the creation of the Desert Foothills Family YMCA now gives 100 percent of proceeds raised each year to educational scholarships for deserving YMCA youth as well as crucial funding for several YMCA educational programs.

Want your kids to have an active summer with sports, daily swimming, rock climbing and many other special interests? Come join the YMCA’s full-day and part-day adventure camps designed to keep kids engaged with specific fun curriculums. They offer flexible schedules, weekly sign ups, and extended days and hours. This amazing camp gives Mom and Dad a part-day break, too.

Through a partnership between the Valley of the Sun YMCA and the Department of Defense (DOD), all 17 Valley of the Sun YMCA branches now offer qualifying members of the Armed Forces and their families access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs.

The Valley of the Sun YMCA has announced that Patricia Leach is the new senior vice president and chief financial development officer for the association. With more than 30 years experience leading nonprofit organizations, Leach will oversee fundraising and continue to develop Valley and statewide support for the YMCA and its breadth of programs and services.

The YMCA has been around since 1844 and is unique to the needs of the communities it serves. The one commonality you will see in all YMCA’s all over the world is that it serves under the same guiding principles: Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility.

Strong Kids and Families, the annual fundraiser benefitting Valley of the Sun YMCA programs and services is under way. The 2012 campaign goal to raise $3.4 million will serve communities throughout Greater Arizona. The campaign goes through May 1.

The Valley of the Sun YMCA brought together 19 families to the US Airways Center recently for the fifth annual Family of the Year awards. Every year each of the Valley of the Sun YMCA branches nominates a deserving family whose volunteerism, contributions and support of the Y have made an impact in their communities.

It's the latter part of January but there is still time for residents to do their part for National Mentoring Month.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA is hosting a Trunk or Treat event this Friday. The parking lot will be full of cars with decorated trunks, celebrating Halloween early.

Y OPAS (Outreach Programs for Ahwatukee Seniors) is hosting its Fourth Giant Book Sale on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA, 1030 E. Liberty Lane. Funds raised from the event will go towards supporting the program that assists Ahwatukee Foothills seniors in maintaining independent living. More than 3000 books in various genres will be on sale, from 25 cents to $1.

The weekend of May 11, 1984, Kristina Batchelder was looking forward to meeting her friend and former classmate Christy Ann Fornoff for one of their many roller skating outings at the Roller World rink in Tempe.

The weekend of May 11, 1984, Kristina Batchelder was looking forward to meeting her friend and former classmate Christy Ann Fornoff for one of their many roller skating outings at the Roller World rink in Tempe.