Regrettably, the local arm of Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) will not be able, at this time, to celebrate its 100th anniversary due to the impact of COVID-19. However, Jamaicans who know and appreciate the sterling work of the organisation will no doubt give support to ‘The Y’, as it is more popularly known, when things return to normal and it can stage events to mark the milestone.

The Kingston YMCA was established on June 9, 1920 to “foster a cohesive national movement and a sense of belonging to the worldwide Christian fellowship; and assist and coordinate the work of local associations in the fulfilment of the purpose of the YMCA”.

That purpose, it explained, is to unite young men who regard Jesus Christ as their God and Saviour, according to the Holy Scriptures.

Historical documents tell us that the international YMCA, which is based in Geneva, Switzerland, has more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries.

It was founded on June 6, 1844 by Sir George Williams in London with the aim of putting “Christian principles into practice by developing a healthy body, mind, and spirit”.

Here in the Jamaica, the YMCA has lived up to that ideal, delivering projects and services focused on youth development through a number of activities, including classes for a variety of skills, and the promotion of the YMCA and its Christian values of “love, peace, service, and justice”.

As our story in yesterday’s edition pointed out, the YMCA is also well known for its aquatics, tae kwon do, summer camp, formal and informal counselling programmes, and referrals. Additionally, it facilitates sports and games for people with disabilities.

No praise, therefore, is too great for Ms Sarah Newland Martin, who runs the Kingston YMCA after becoming its first woman general secretary. Her 34 years of service to the organisation is highly commendable and has been recognised by the State, which invested her with the Order of Distinction (OD).

Ms Newland Martin’s outstanding achievements can be traced back to 1965 when she was named Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year for being the only woman with a disability to complete the ‘Cross The Harbour’ race — a two-and-a-half-mile swim in Kingston Harbour that proved a challenge for many able-bodied people.

In many ways, that grit and determination to prove that she could be as good as anyone has been the driving force in Ms Newland Martin’s life, and it has contributed to her excellent stewardship of the YMCA.

We note that Ms Newland Martin and the YMCA intend to stage a series of events to highlight the work of the Y; re-energise all who participate in the YMCA’s programmes; and raise funds to sustain its activities while modernising and introducing new programmes. Our hope is that they will achieve those objectives, because the Y has a proud history of achievements in Jamaica, including — as Ms Newland Martin informed us — “the establishment of Boys’ Town for vocational training, education, sports, culture, and spiritual upliftment of depressed youths in Western Kingston”.

We extend our congratulations and best wishes to Ms Newland Martin and her team.