McGaw YMCA Leaders Chosen to Represent Camp Echo Nationally, Internationally

McGaw Y employees Amiee Woodrow (left) and Bernard Rocca were selected for two YMCA leadership programs to strengthen their respective roles at Camp Echo.

EVANSTON, IL – McGaw YMCA proudly announces that employees Bernard Rocca and Amiee Woodrow will represent Camp Echo nationally and internationally in two unique YMCA leadership programs.

Bernard Rocca (he/him), Camp Echo Executive Director, has been chosen to lead a cohort of McGaw YMCA leaders through the YMCA Annual Giving Academy. This year-long program equips YMCA leaders across the nation with essential fundraising skills in support of the Y mission. Participants learn best practices and strategies to develop successful fundraising programs, focusing on areas like year-round planning, major gift cultivation, stewardship, and data-driven donor engagement.

Bernard is one of 77 YMCA leaders nationwide selected to lead their association’s engagement in the Academy. He plans to use this experience to continue building upon Camp Echo’s strong history of community support. As Camp Echo enters its second century of serving the Evanston community, donor engagement will be vital for its enduring success and to ensuring greater financial accessibility to all families. Through this work, he hopes to create a deeper sense of belonging among donors, campers, and the community.

Amiee Woodrow (she/her), Camp Echo Program Director, has been selected for the 2024 Campacity cohort, a joint initiative of YMCA Europe and the YMCA of the USA. Campacity brings together 16 camp leaders from the United States and 50 from European YMCAs to build capacity for the global YMCA camping movement to better support young people and families experiencing conflict and trauma in Europe. Participants will take part in a 5-day international YMCA experience in Spain, where they will learn to create innovative programs centered around trauma recovery, life skills development, conflict resolution, and refugee integration.

Amiee plans to utilize her experience in this program to ensure her approach to programming and service reflects a trauma-informed lens that supports the diverse lived experiences of those at McGaw Y and Camp Echo.

“Empowering our employees to grow as leaders and innovators is central to our mission at McGaw YMCA. Bernard and Amiee’s involvement in these distinguished programs reflects our dedication to nurturing changemakers within our organization,” stated Monique Parsons, President/CEO. “We take immense pride in their representation of our YMCA, especially during Camp Echo’s centennial year.”

To learn more about McGaw YMCA’s Camp Echo, visit ymcacampecho.org.

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