The Y in Arnold member, Jeanne Tuerk, remembers growing up in the early 1960s walking through her childhood neighborhood west of Charles Street to the Y in Towson. Loyola High School and the Mission Helpers Convent were practically in her backyard.  The center in Towson was only about a mile to the east, but in her young mind it might as well have been as far away as New York City.

Jeanne reflected on her time at the Y in Towson as a friendly, safe and welcoming “in between” place. At the Y in Towson, she would meet other adults and kids from her neighborhood and from surrounding neighborhoods. The Y in Towson was like a rest stop between the familiarity of home and the big complicated world beyond. She could take small steps toward the big world when she was ready.

The Y in Towson in Jeanne’s story was a place of safety and fun between youth and adulthood. How can we possibly measure the importance of those safe “in between” places as we grow up?  Today the Y’s Give Every Child a Chance Campaign endeavors to instill courage in all children by giving them access to a safe, friendly and fun “in between.”

Thank you Jeanne for sharing your Y story!