We’ve known for a long while about the importance of having a “third place” in our lives; that one place outside of work or home where unplanned, casual human encounters happen regularly, reminding us that we belong and are a part of a real community.
Well, have you ever met Y associate Carol Beecher? She is the human embodiment of “third place” and community building and her story is the perfect demonstration of why a Y is so much more than a collection of buildings with a lot of fancy machines.
Carol Beecher is currently the Membership Director at the Y in Parkville, where she focuses on growing and enriching the membership, and greets everyone who walks through the door with a smile that could light up a room. A few months ago, however, you’d more likely have to go the Y in Perry Hall to catch that smile. There is where Carol’s talents as a relationship builder were first put into action. She established so many close relationships with members and associates, it’s a safe bet she knew almost everyone’s name.
When in December of 2021, due to a variety of factors, we had to close the Y in Perry Hall, Carol’s empathy and understanding of the Y’s members became most obvious. Having created that “third place” for many of the members at the Y in Perry Hall, Carol wanted to make sure that the nearby Y in Parkville, where she and the associate team were relocating, could be an equally meaningful third place for them. During the transition, Carol wrapped her arms around the members, encouraging them all to visit the Y in Parkville and to continue to be part of the Y community. While it wasn’t at the same location, Carol was going to do everything she could to replicate that “third place” feeling for the members and associates and, in fact, shared that it was the members themselves that helped to create that for one another.
All of the associates who worked at the Y in Perry Hall were offered opportunities to transition over to the Y in Parkville Y, or any other Y location. We hoped that many of the members would also do the same. Indeed, the majority of the Perry Hall members continued their Y membership and are now having those all-important “third place” experiences at the Y in Parkville.
In essence, an entire community chose to move together. Each of them had a choice, but they chose as a group to stick together. If anything is a testament to the power of community and of the deep need we all have for it, this is it.
No doubt that much of this is due to Carol Beecher, who brought her big heart to the Y in Parkville and who shines so brightly in her new role. Well done, Carol and team. Thank you for being the embodiment of community.
All the best,
John K. Hoey
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Y in Central Maryland