Sussex County YMCA charity golf outing a success

The Sussex County YMCA hosted its 20th annual golf outing on May 18 at the Ballyowen Golf Club, drawing nearly 100 golfers and raising a net total of $40,000 to help reduce the cost of Y programs for children, families, and adults in the community.

“It’s wonderful to see the community come together to champion the Y’s cause. We’re grateful for all the players, donors, staff, and volunteers who’ve supported the Y year after year during this annual event. The dollars raised will make a real difference in the lives of people who count on the Y for not only fitness needs, but for chronic disease prevention, cancer recovery programs, after-school child care, life-saving swim lessons, and so much more,” said Dan Elwell, chief development officer for the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges, which includes the Sussex County Y.

The golf outing raises money for the Y’s annual support campaign and will be used to help families who qualify for assistance in paying for Y programs or memberships. In 2021, the Sussex County Y provided financial assistance to one in four children in summer camps, and one in five children in its before and after school child care programs that serve eight area school districts.

Funds raised will also support free programs like Livestrong at the YMCA for adults wanting to regain their strength after having gone through cancer treatment; Safety Around Water, a drowning prevention program for kids of all ages; and memberships offered at no cost for middle school students.

This year’s golf outing also honored the late Raymond W. Cordts for his contributions to the community through his involvement with many Sussex County charitable organizations. He was also a member of this year’s golf outing committee up until his sudden passing and the outing honored him through the induction of the “Cordts Cannon,” on the seventh hole. His wife Pam also attended and helped to kick off the tournament with a shotgun start.

“Ray was an advocate for so many nonprofits, including the Y, and we’re glad we were able to honor his memory and contributions during this year’s outing,” said Corey Brown, executive director of the Sussex County Y. “As costs continue to rise for basic needs, we know many families in our community are struggling financially. Thanks to the success of this year’s event, we will be able to help more people participate in our programs at affordable costs, because worrying about the ability to pay should not be a barrier for being a part of the Y.”

This year’s Golf Outing was presented by Thorlabs Inc. and sponsors included Ray Corts — Lakeland Bank, First Hope Bank, the Macaluso family, The Diet Man, RoNetco Supermarkets, Nielsen Group, John and Peggy Post, Wayne Tile, Woodland Trails Campground, and Wallkill Group.

To learn more about the Y’s financial assistance program, visit metroymcas.org.