By: Ernie Wren
What began as a small branch with big dreams has become a cornerstone of health, wellness, and community connection in Southern Boone County. The Southern Boone Area YMCA (SBAYMCA), located at 405 S Main St in Ashland, Missouri, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2025—a milestone marking a decade of dedication to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
The YMCA’s roots stretch back to June 6, 1844, when George Williams, a 22-year-old drapery worker in London, England, founded the original Young Men’s Christian Association to address the spiritual and physical needs of young men during the Industrial Revolution. Nearly two centuries later, the SBAYMCA continues that mission—now serving a diverse and growing community far from its London origins.
As part of the Jefferson City Area YMCA association, the SBAYMCA offers a wide range of programs and facilities: a fitness center with over 25 cardio machines, strength training areas, exercise rooms, a multi-functional turf room, childcare services, and youth sports leagues.
But the road to success hasn’t been without challenges. Kip Batye, Branch Director, reflected on one of the most significant hurdles in the organization’s history.
“Without a doubt, the biggest challenge over the past decade was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic while launching a capital campaign for our new facility. Just a year after opening our original Y, Board Member Dave Westhoff knocked on my office door and said, ‘We need to buy land and start building the new Y.’ I nervously chuckled and replied, ‘Dave, I barely have my office set up.’ But Dave was right—we were already outgrowing our space, nearly 10 years ahead of schedule. Without his persistent encouragement (and daily phone calls), I can honestly say we wouldn’t have moved as quickly as we did. The real challenge came when we tried to raise $4 million in a town of just 4,000 people—for a brand-new facility and a YMCA that was still finding its roots in Southern Boone.
Then 2020 hit. The pandemic forced us to shut our doors. Memberships—our lifeline for paying salaries and keeping the lights on—dropped. YMCAs across the country were closing. But we got creative and showed our community that the Y is more than a gym. We delivered groceries to seniors, produced online fitness content, and launched “Life Skills” videos for teens on everything from changing a tire and tying a tie to cooking simple meals. Our motto became: ‘Even though our doors are closed, we are still open to the community.’ Fundraising during this time became even more difficult. With the clock ticking and our lease expiring, we were determined not to sign another contract. In the end, our incredible community helped us raise $2 million, and with support from local banks, we secured an additional $2 million loan. That allowed us to begin construction and move into our new facility just in time.”
The community’s response was pivotal. In 2016, the SBAYMCA acquired 15 acres at South Main Street and West Liberty Lane, and in March 2021, a new 18,000-square-foot facility opened to the public. The expansion has become a source of pride not only for the YMCA staff but for the entire community.
“Out of those challenges came one of our proudest accomplishments—building our beautiful new facility with the help of an incredible YMCA leadership team. Visiting members often say things like, ‘This is the nicest Y I’ve ever seen,’ and ‘I LOVE the Turf Room!’—words that make all the hard work worth it. I’m also proud that we’ve created real jobs right here in our community, not just part-time positions, but meaningful careers. Today, we employ 10 full-time staff and more than 50 part-time team members.”
As Ashland’s population continues to grow—projected to reach 5,349 in 2025, up from just 2,293 in 2000—the SBAYMCA is preparing to meet future needs with big plans on the horizon.
“I couldn’t be more excited for what the next 10 years will bring. Soon, our community will enjoy a brand-new walking trail. After that, we plan to build outdoor pickleball courts, basketball courts, and football/soccer fields. I envision a completed gymnasium with an indoor walking track, and programs that bring people together for basketball tournaments, youth soccer, and pickleball leagues. We also hope to begin planning for an aquatic center, in collaboration with local organizations. But for these dreams to become reality, we need to take the next step: paying off our remaining $1 million in debt. Since 2021, we’ve already paid down $1 million but there’s still work to do. Every donation helps bring us closer.”
Batye, who has been at the helm through it all, expressed deep gratitude for his role and the journey so far.
“As a kid, my dream job was to lead off and play catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Now that I’m older, I’ve accepted that probably won’t happen—but serving as YMCA Director in Southern Boone is a close second. I truly love what I do and the amazing team I get to do it with. These past 10 years haven’t always been easy, but at night when I lay my head down and think about the impact the Y has made in our community—it’s all worth it.”
As part of its 10-year anniversary celebration, the SBAYMCA is waiving the usual $50 join fee, offering free classes to members (and $10 access for non-members), and hosting daily giveaways such as personalized pavers and free personal training sessions.
“This is our way of saying thank you to the community that has supported us every step of the way,” Batye said.
Partially revised by ChatGPT
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