SAFYMCA Installs Donna Baker as Chief Volunteer Officer

MONROVIA, CA., February 1, 2008

Monrovia resident, Realtor, and active community volunteer Donna Baker. At a ceremony held at the Monrovian Restaurant, Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa performed the honors in formally installing Baker and other members of the 2008 executive committee to two-year terms in office.

Baker, director of Heritage Homes, Dickson Podley Realtors in Monrovia, where she was the number one sales associate in 2007, succeeds Monrovia businesswoman Patrice Reinhard in the leadership role of the SAFYMCA. Baker was first elected to the board in 2004, and was elected vice president of the board in 2006. She is also a major contributor to the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group, a charter commissioner of the City of Monrovia Historic Preservation Commission, president of the Monrovia Day Association, and member of the Monrovia/Duarte chapter of Quota International.

 “What attracted me most about the Santa Anita Family YMCA is that no one is ever turned away for inability to pay. It’s a privilege to contribute my efforts to an organization that daily provides so many valuable programs and services and makes a positive difference in lives of people of all ages in the community. I look forward to a fruitful year for the SAFYMCA,” said Baker.

 Baker said her goals as Chief Volunteer Officer include adding additional enthusiastic and involved members to the board, achieving fundraising campaign endeavors and “getting the word out about the SAFYMCA and the great things it offers To the community”.

Other newly installed members of the 2008 executive committee of the SAFYMCA board of directors are Vice President, Kathy Taylor, a Monrovia based Certified Public Accountant; Treasurer, Steve Baker, who also serves as the elected treasurer for the City of Monrovia; Secretary, Pat Barnes, a probate attorney from Arcadia; Member-at-Large, Diane Balsamo, a home loan consultant with Countrywide; and Immediate Past President, Patrice Reinhard, owner of Dreams Built True Construction in Monrovia. The SAFYMCA is located at 501 S. Mountain Ave. in Monrovia. The facility is open 7 days a week, 96 hours a week and offers dozens of sports programs, exercise classes and activities on a member and non-member basis for children, teens, adults, seniors and people with special needs. It also offers free on-site supervised child-care while members use the facility.

For more information call (626) 359-9244, or visit the Santa Anita Family YMCA web site at www.safymca.org.