Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 08/99) - A diverse new board will be directing and determining which YWCA programs will continue, which will not, and what programs Yellowknife's women and children will need in the future.

"One of the things that's really exciting with the YWCA at this time is that we're going into a building phase. We came out of Northern United Place and we are in Rockhill Apartments and that's a major achievement. We have a place of our own," new board member Michele Boon said.

"Now, we're ready to expand our services. First and foremost, we have to look into what the next step is to assist women in violent situations. Children have always been important to the YWCA so we have to increase our resources for children in need, particularly for those children in violent situations."

Boon started the Big Buddies program in Yellowknife, has worked on various advocacy organizations throughout Yellowknife, and has been a member of the YWCA for 20 years. She is one of 11 board members who were elected at the YWCA's annual general meeting on Sept. 2.

"I'm sure that everyone who has joined the board has something to accomplish and when we meet as a board we'll sit down and talk about those issues and dreams. That's when we'll be able to decide which ones we can do," Boon said.

YWCA executive director, Lyda Fuller, admits the organization is coming off a tough year. They eliminated their health and fitness program, and they closed the day care that served 28 infants, toddlers and preschoolers in the Yellowknife area.

"The year that ended this March was difficult for the association. We got out of two areas that we've been in for a long time," Fuller said.

"We do afterschool programs for children but no longer offer child day care, and we've been doing day care since 1973, so it was a hard decision for our board to make."

As is the case with most non-profit organizations, decisions like cutting day care are linked to the bottom-line.

"We had an $80,000 gap between revenue and expenses on the program every year and we couldn't figure out a way to close that gap. It was just too big of a burden to carry every year," Fuller said.

"It was a day care that was accessible to women on income support so we've identified that as something we will advocate for in the future."

The new YWCA board will be determining their goals and formulating a work plan at their first meeting, Sept. 23.