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| "Is it time for a new name for the organization to reflect its current and future membership?" "Does the OGN-Old Guard News need a new name or image?" |
Association of YMC Retirees
Open Forum (Your views and opinions)
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There are some guidelines about your comments:
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Bill Davies Note the date of Letter! |
| Letter from Phil Wortman Willis |
| Letter from Henry Helton, Jr. Weatherford |
| Letter and design art from Walt Price VP-East |
| Comment via email from Craig Altschul, Editor of Perspective Journal (AYP) " I tend to disagree about the name of the newsletter. I think Old Guard News is sort of fun and carries a tradition. We're all in trouble if the newsletter name keeps the "youngins' from joining. I don't have a vote, but if I did, I'd say keep it. Now, the name NAYFR is another story. ca |
| Bob Shelton Grand Canyon Suggestion for the name of the organization and its newsletter: National Association of YMCA Retirees - USA; or NAYRUSA; NAYRUSA NEWS (Newsletter) After submitting a suggestion, I read the forum. I really like Walt Price's suggestions and his graphic art design. What do we call us for short? FYRUSA (pronounced fye-roo-sah) - has a little ring to it. |
| I would like to cast my vote in favor of keeping the name "Old Guard News". I echo Henry Hilton's question about the history of the name--has it ever been any thing else? Who thought of it originally and when? To me it has historical significance. As to NAFYR, it obviously isn't accurate any more, since our Canadian friends chose to be more independent; Fellowship of Y Retirees would be enough for me, but I have no strong feeling on the name. I admire our present(and past) leadership and give them a strong vote of confidence. I enjoy going to the reunions and seeing old friend, but don't chose to be more active. Owen Manchester, Weatherford Chapter Web Note: View the History Summary above |
| David, I attempted to add a suggestion on the NAFYR website but could not get it to enter. When we were touring the Grand Rapids Y our tour guide said to us she did not know what NAFYR was or even that there was a YMCA retirement group, and she has been working for the Y as a Program Director for 9 years. I think changing the organizations name is important but not sure necessary to change newsletters name. Suggestion: obtain names from Retirement Fund who are within a certain number of years of retirement (I know this varies, but just pick a number) and promote to this group NAFYR and not just wait until we get there names from the Retirement Fund that they have retired. Don Stetson , Hoosier-Buell Web Note: You need to send email to dcbast@comcast.net or use response form above to send comment. Thank You |
| Bruce Wands, Great Ozark writes I would support a name change that better reflects who we are and where we came from, that would better relate to those who are working for the YMCA and will be retiring in the future. Also look at possible name changes for the Chapters that better reflect where we are located. Thanks |
| Click on this link to view (print a copy if you wish) of a summarized history of the organization from its informal beginning in 1936 as IARS through changes to IARD and to the current NAFYR. Our History |
| Everett Heer, Grand Canyon I prefer to keep the Old Guard News for the newsletter but I agree that NAFYR is no longer the correct name so we should work together to get a new name. Association of Retired Y Professions is a suggestion but I am open as others have good ideas. A committee might determine the decision. |
| An additional comment from Walt Price, Vice President-East and Ellenwood Chapter Member: Had another comment on "Old Guard". The Old Guard is a very respected Infantry group that has the honor of being at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington. Their requirements are really rigorous. You could probably google their site to see them. I was duly impressed when I first heard them. |
| From Ken Landro, President of Upper Midwest Chapter I agree completely with the Phoenix staff member comments re: Name of Org. and name of Newsletter. Need to be changed. As Pres. of Upper Midwest the past couple of years, we have been unable to recruit any new members. I recently sent 8 letters and followed up with phone calls to people in our region retiring and so far no response or commitments. 5 of the 8 are females. Don`t know how much the 2 items cited affect our efforts but I am beginning to think we are a dying organization as our members are getting older and we are not attracting newly retired. Thanks, ken landro. |
| At the request of your webmaster, Don Zerwer from McCoy Chapter supplied us with a redesign of the current logo reflecting the simple FYR for Fellowship of YMCA Retiree's. Don writes: I like FYR for Fellowship of YMCA Retirees. I did 2 versions. The 2nd has a shorter ribbon banner. |
| From Phil Hellwege, Greater Ozarks I've felt for a long time that the name should be changed. When I tell somebody about the org. I refer to it as "Y (or) YMCA Retirees" Why not use this for it's real name? |
| From Chuck Hines of the Weatherford Chapter The name YMCA referring to the Young MEN'S Christian Association has never kept women and girls from joining and participating, and they now comprise about 60% of our staff members nationally. I don't see them pushing to change the name of the YMCA, or are they? Names and titles are important, but they are seldom the reason anyone joins or supports an organization or a cause. If NAFYR hopes to attract new members, we must look elsewhere beyond a name change for the organization or the newsletter in order to produce results. |
| Additional Suggestion and Possible Logo Drafts Phil Wortmann |