YWCA lays off executive director

Shelley Bobb was laid off as executive director of the YWCA seven months after she took over the nonprofit organization.

Terri Friedrich, who owns the local business Custom Employment Solutions, is taking over the YWCA as volunteer executive director. Friedrich will be unpaid.

"The board tried to keep her (Bobb), but we couldn't afford her," Friedrich said.

Bobb moved to Racine in January from Madison. She had worked for 25 years as a Lutheran pastor.

Along with her business, Friedrich is an adjunct professor at Gateway Technical College. She also sold an earlier business that she'd started.

Friedrich said she hopes to stay on as executive director until the YWCA stabilizes its finances.

"I'm here to help the the Y crawl out of their hole," she said.

The YWCA has gone through major changes in recent years. Once located Downtown, the agency sold its building and split into three programs: Youth Education, the Empowering Women Center and the Riverbend Nature Center. It also replaced former Executive Director Debbi Embry with Bobb.

While Bobb leaving is another major change, there are signs of hope, Friedrich said.

YWCA's Kids Klub recently won a prestigious award, Riverbend turned a profit in recent months and the Empowering Women Center received a contract to work with the state's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Friedrich also noted that canoe and kayak rentals are available daily from 8:30-4:30 p.m. at Riverbend for $5 an hour with a two-hour minimum. You need a driver's license and credit card for the rental.

Middle school girls take 'Action for Animals'

By Marie Block

Girls continue to amaze me. When a group of girls at Gilmore Middle School's Girls Inc. were asked what they would like to do for the community action segment of their leadership group, Girls in Action, they said they wanted to help animals. Then a group of girls at Jerstad-Agerholm Middle School were asked the same question. They responded that they want to do something about animals that are abused and neglected. Neither group had any knowledge of the other school's idea, yet they all expressed empathy for creatures unable to defend themselves.

Out of the girls' concern and compassion for creatures smaller than they, an event began to take shape. Action for Animals fair. Girls from both Gilmore and Jerstad have been working diligently all semester to raise donations for a raffle, organize activities, and spread the word about their mission to keep animals safe and healthy. Read below for info about Action for Animals and a story written by one of the key organizers of the fair.

Action for Animals
presented by Girls in Action
of Girls Inc. at the YWCA

Saturday, May 2nd
1-3 p.m.
Chavez Community Center
2221 Douglas Avenue, Racine

Face painting, games, raffle, and more!

Pets welcome!
(Just clean up after them please!)

Mackenzie

By Mackenzie
Gilmore Middle School
Grade 6

Girls in Action is a new middle school program this semester for Girls Inc. Girls in Action is about understanding leadership and community service. Girls in Action created “Action for Animals”, which is about helping abused and neglected animals. Girls Inc. is always willing to help animals and our community.

“Action for Animals” is important to us because animals are being hurt. It’s also important because neglected and abused animals should be helped. Other people should help too because how would you feel if you were being abused and couldn’t do anything about it.

You can help too. If you find any abused animals, report it. Every little bit counts. You can also help by donating money for our program to help the animals.

We are having a fair on Saturday, May 2 at the Chavez Community Center, 2221 Douglas Avenue, from 1-3 pm. We will have games, a raffle, face painting, crafts, and a photobooth. Any profits will go to local animal shelters.

Thank you for
your support!