BATESVILLE, IN — Three Southeastern Indiana YMCA staff, countless examples of going above and beyond the call to serve others and advance the mission of the Y. That is why Anita Narwold, Laura Ault, and Tara Britton were recognized in November with the YMCA S.O.A.R. Award (Service and Outstanding Achievement Recognition). The SOAR award recognizes staff leaders who illustrate outstanding efforts to contribute to the success of the Southeastern Indiana YMCA community through their service and achievements.
When presenting the awards before the Y board and other staff members, Angie Harmeyer, Southeastern Indiana YMCA Chief Executive Officer recounted stories and sentiments for all three staff.
- Anita Narwold – “Anita has been a part-time Welcome Center staff member for almost ten years. She is always eager to connect with others on a personal basis. She has been incredibly flexible and taken on many extra shifts to make sure the Welcome Center can shine. Anita comes in with a smile and a positive attitude as she serves and greets our members and guests. The Welcome Center has a cleaning protocol, and Anita can always be counted on, and even goes a step further whenever needed,” said Harmeyer.
- Laura Ault –”Laura and her family are charter members of the Y. She began teaching Group Exercise Classes in 1999. She has taught a little bit of everything over the years including spin classes, gentle yoga, women’s strength training, adult social dance, and even been a personal trainer. She is probably most well-known for the variety of Zumba classes she has taught, and recently celebrated 14 years of teaching this popular dance exercise class. Laura has done an excellent job of growing her group exercise following and is always willing to help sub for other classes. In early November, she planned and led a Zumbathon charity event with several other Zumba instructors. They raised $400 for the Y’s Annual Campaign while getting 30 plus attendees to bust a move for two hours,” added Harmeyer.
- Tara Britton – “’I’ve got this!’ ‘I’ll handle it!’ ‘Don’t worry about that! Done!’ These are the words frequently said by Tara, Y Director of Operations. No task too big, no job too small. She has an ‘I can do it, let me serve’ attitude. When senior staff was recently out of the office for an extended time, Tara tackled the duties of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, in addition to her own responsibilities of managing the Y. She accomplished this while keeping her composure and kindness for her colleagues and Y members. A supportive, resourceful, courageous, fearless, and compassionate leader,” stated Harmeyer.
“We congratulate and honor these staff members for enhancing the quality of life for the YMCA community by providing extraordinary services, activities, or other initiatives that strengthen our staff, members, and community,” said Harmeyer.
(Southeastern Indiana YMCA press release)
