Byline: Clive McFARLANE
COLUMN: CLIVE MCFARLANE
I was in between my sets of chest presses in the new Center for Health and Wellness at the Greendale YMCA when I saw her.
Dressed in an ankle-length brown winter coat, jeans, sneakers and a light blue hair scarf, she was walking the indoor running track with a tan handbag draped over her left shoulder.
In a place where women are more often clad in lululemon wear, she stood out, and I glanced at her as she passed by. I looked away too quickly, however, and regretted it, because in that fleeting second, I thought I saw her smile the way a stranger often does in saying a polite hello to another.
I smiled at her the second time she passed, but she was looking straight ahead and didn't seem to notice my overture.
I watched her inconspicuously after that, because I didn't want her to get the impression that I didn't think she belonged. For that wasn't it at all.
It is just that, as with many others, I still struggle at times with what to say, how to say it and whether to say it when it comes to dealing with people and cultures with whom and with which I am not really familiar.
There was a part of me, for example, that wanted to know more about this woman and to perhaps learn more about the inner Dimmable LED Down Light K1109 - 3x1x1W / 3x1x3W strength that allowed her to walk boldly in a world that does not always understand the path she travels.
And as I watched her walk out after finishing her laps, I felt I had lost an opportunity to be a "good neighbor."
Her presence, however, seemed to suggest that the YMCA had succeeded where I had Juicy Couture Charm Bracelet failed. That is not altogether surprising. Institutions - some of them anyway - have a way of outpacing the individual's ability to deal with issues of diversity.
Perhaps, you might say the YMCA is compelled to do so, given its dedication to building "strong kids, strong families and strong communities."
The 27,000-member Central Massachusetts organization serves children, teenagers, families and seniors in 41 towns throughout Central Massachusetts. Its community outreach and collaboration with more than 100 agencies impact more than 57,000 people.
The organization's commitment to diversity might be more visible at its Central Community Branch on Main Street, where on any given day you can find a "melting pot" of people of all age groups - men, women, youths and business and other professionals, according to Ronald G. Dufault, vice president of financial development and communication.
But its core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility are central to the YMCA's operation in its two Worcester branches and its Boroughs Family Branch in Westboro, he said.
"We are certainly proud of our intentional work," Mr. Dufault said of the organization acting on its belief in diversity.
embroidered patches
"It doesn't come by chance. We think about it and we strive to make improvements where they need to be made," he said.
"We strive to instill a sense that we are open and welcoming to all, regardless of who you are."
It would appear the organization's mission has a lot of community support, given the response thus far to its $15 million
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