July 8, 2019
You may remember Y member John Votta, who was featured in our 2017 annual report. He served 36 years with the U.S. military, including the Marine Corps, the Maryland Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve, in Japan, Vietnam, a military hospital in Germany, and supporting “Operation Desert Storm” via the Base Hospital in Myrtle Beach.
Upon “retirement,” John joined the Y but it certainly wasn’t to slow down. Before we knew it, he stepped up as a Y Togetherhood volunteer! Applying his deep sense of duty, John led a Y Togetherhood project which generated the donation of more than 4,000 personal items like toiletries and books to area VA hospitals. It was an all-out effort marshaling the energy and kindness of Y members, volunteers, kids and associates alike.
Not one to let grass grow under his feet, John put together another Veterans donation program during this past Memorial Day weekend.
John wrote to me recently:
"It was an honor picking up the boxes and taking them to the Druid Hill Y, where Eric Somerville got the kids together to do sorting. Special thanks to Eric for all he does each year for our veterans. I was responsible for getting the donations to Perry Point VA Medical Center. Eric & Sasha Batts were responsible for getting the donations to the other two Veterans centers. Special thanks to the Manager of Perry Hall Safeway Mike Boblooch for donations of the Baseball Caps from his league and setting up a donation box in his store. They really appreciated the donations at Perry Point. Thank you John for the Y Community supporting our Veterans."
John Votta
Y member
Vietnam Veteran
A lot is made these days of patriotism and what it means to be an American. As someone who is not a veteran myself, I will say that I have deep admiration for our veterans and their incredible sense of duty and honor, particularly those like John Votta for whom taking care of his neighbors and fellow veterans is central to his understanding of the American ideal and to our shared values as a community.
Thank you, John, Eric and Sasha for reminding us of this.
All the best,
John
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland