YMCA Rotary Park

Rotary Park at the Amarillo Family YMCA South Y opened in Spring 2005.  Rotary Park at the South Y is the home of the Amarillo Family YMCA Youth Fall & Spring Baseball and the newest Y Family program, Chicago Soft Ball.  Rotary Park has hosted numerous major tournaments over the past two years. 

We anticipate over 85,000 guests will attend games, practices and activities annually at Rotary Park.    In addition, the Y will continue to collaborate with other sports teams such as Caprock, Tascosa, etc. on use of the complex.

History of the YMCA Rotary Park Project

It all started when Taylor Fyfe was president of the Rotary Club of Amarillo in 1999-2000.  He and Pam (his wife) were out to dinner visiting about all the fine folks in Rotary and how great it would be to have a project that the members would have a real stake in. Something that they could volunteer, not just their checkbook, but their time as well. A project that everyone could see that results of their commitment. They started to jot down ideas on a napkin (sound like a story from a certain successful airline that you have heard before?)  Taylor visited with Roger Cox about this idea and he mentioned the YMCA's plans for expansion. After reviewing this, along with several other possible projects, Roger and Taylor agreed the YMCA project would be the best endeavor.

A committee was then formed to evaluate the potential YMCA project. The committee went to Sam Attebury and asked him to get involved with respect to the land acquisition. After working through some of the details, a presentation was put together to bring to the membership. This presentation went something like this:

"The steering committee suggests that the rotary Club of Amarillo be the deal club.  In forming a local Rotary Club coalition to help the YMCA build a new South Branch. The goal would be to assist the YMCA in bringing the programs that assist both underprivileged and privileged children now available in the North and downtown to new facilities in South Amarillo. We ask the Rotary Club of Amarillo to commit one-half of the club's fundraising efforts from shrimp and Catfish to go to the South YMCA project over the next ten years (goal to be $250,000)." 

The Rotary Club of Amarillo graciously agreed to commit to this project and, with the help from Sam Attebury's generous offer on the land, got the ball rolling on this exciting project. A lot of work lies ahead for both the YMCA and the Rotary Clubs in Amarillo. Successful fundraising campaigns are crucial to complete the YMCA at Rotary Park including The Annual Shrimp and Catfish Dinner as well as other fundraising campaigns. With all of the "go getters" and quality people in Rotary, successful completion of the  YMCA at Rotary Park is just around the corner!- (Submitted by Matt Harkins, Comittee Chair)