Raflik Talks New Role at FDL YMCA, Annual Campaign Underway

J Raflik has been working in his new role as the Executive Director/CEO of the Fond du Lac Family YMCA for just under one month, but he’s no stranger to the Y. Raflik is in his 17th year at the Fond du Lac Family YMCA, having started in youth sports in 2001. As of March 30th, he became the Executive Director after Greg Giles resigned to take a position with the YMCA of Greater Houston. Raflik says his love for working with people has helped him in his YMCA career. “Early on it was an opportunity to work with kids and people,” he said. “I knew that was a passion of mine early on. I thought about teaching and coaching as a career path. I didn’t really grow up going to the Y even though i grew up in Lomira. Once I got connected to the Y in college, it was kind of a love at first sight almost, so that opportunity to work with people kind of grew on me.”

 

Raflik says his biggest challenge since moving into the new role is sorting through responsibilities and connections his predecessor had, and making sure he’s maintaining his connections to committees, boards or other community initiatives that the YMCA is involved in. “We really have believed for quite some time now we need to be at the center of a lot of the initiatives within the community.” Raflik said “So, figuring out ways we can support other community initiatives – not maybe always as the lead –  but The Y should be there to support anything that’s going on in the community.” Raflik says in 2010, the YMCA on a national level tried to refocus and connect to social responsibility and healthy living aspects, but keep youth development at its core. He also points to a collaborative model with the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac as one of the community partnerships the YMCA has fostered.

 

The YMCA’s annual fundraising campaign is underway – which invites community members to “Be a Part of Something Big – Believe. Inspire. Give”. The YMCA raised over $260,000 during last year’s campaign to help support community programs and initiatives. Read more about this year’s campaign here.