YMCA of Hutchinson & Reno County - A United Way Agency

• 1876  - Methodist Minister T.J. Templin, the first YMCA President, held the first public meeting of the Hutchinson YMCA.
• 1890  - YMCA activities are held in a few upstairs rooms over the American National  Bank at 22 North Main.
• 1911  - The YMCA building is completed at 1st and Walnut.
• 1959  - The YMCA building is in dire need of repair and is consequently sold and  razed.
• 1960  - The YMCA purchases a ranch in Arlington, and rents space for offices and a  health club at 23 East 1st Avenue.
• 1964  - A new building is completed at 716 E 13th Avenue which is our current  location.
• 1974  - Four racquetball courts are added to the existing building.
• 1978 - The YMCA adds a gymnasium, women’s and men’s locker rooms, lobby, multi-purpose room and office space to the existing building.
• 1998 - The YMCA dedicates an expanded, renovated building featuring a new weight-room, cardio center, nursery, office space, lobby, lap-pool and whirlpool.

There  are over 2400 YMCA's in the United States and over 4000 worldwide. During its  long and distinguished history, YMCA's have been known for their tradition of  program innovations to better serve members and communities. The following are  just a few YMCA "firsts" given to us all:

• Volleyball - Created by the YMCA in 1895.

• Racquetball - Originated by Joe Solbeck in the Greenwich, Connecticut YMCA.

• Softball - Developed by a physical director in the Denver YMCA.

• Basketball - Originated by the YMCA at Springfield College, Massachusetts in 1891.

• Father’s  Day - The first Father’s Day is observed at the Spokane, Washington, YMCA.

• Boy  Scouts - Originated under YMCA leadership. The first Chief Scout Executive  was a Washington, DC YMCA volunteer.

• Peace  Corps - President John F. Kennedy founds the  Peace Corps, patterned after the YMCA World Service program started more than 70 years before.