Ottawa YMCA’s statement on the Joe and Muriel O’Brien family’s donation for the new building project

The YMCA’s statement on the O’Brien family donation of $525,000 to the Ottawa YMCA’s new building project:

The Ottawa YMCA announced that the O’Brien Family has donated $525,000 to the Ottawa YMCA Capital Campaign for their new Healthy Living Campus. The facility,will include a wellness center to be named in the O’Brien Family’s honor, a Natatorium with both a competition pool and a warm water therapy pool, group exercise studios, children adventure center, child watch areas, family locker rooms, multi-generational space for seniors and teens, along with community gathering spaces similar to living rooms, for people to meet and socialize. It will also house a community kitchen for healthy eating, designated clinical space for OSF, which is moving its rehabilitation and physical therapy services into the new building. Joe O’Brien Sr and his wife Muriel, known as “Punch,” came to Ottawa from Chicago, when an opportunity opened for a Dodge/Plymouth Dealership. When Joe first heard they were moving to Ottawa he thought he might be moving to Ottawa, Canada, not Ottawa, Illinois. Joe and Punch moved with two young children and had five more at Ottawa’s then Ryburn-King Hospital. The seven O’Brien children, from oldest to youngest are: Judy O’Brien, Joe Jr., Mark, Dan, Molly(O’Brien) McIntyre, Amy(O’Brien) Bennett, and Bridget (O’Brien) McGettigan. Joe O’Brien Jr.’s automotive career may have taken him away from Ottawa decades ago, but that hasn’t changed his feelings for his hometown. Joe, the second of seven children, recalls his Mother and Dad’s love of Ottawa. When Joe Sr. sold the dealership in Ottawa, the family opened a Cadillac/Oldsmobile Dealership in Streator. However, the O’Brien’s stayed in their chosen hometown. “Mom and Dad thought Ottawa was the right place to raise a family, so we stayed in our home and our Dad commuted to Streator for years. Joe Jr. and Bridget shared memories of their experiences at the Ottawa YMCA. “Getting to the Y as a kid was a big deal if you lived on the East Side of Ottawa, because you had to cross the Fox River, go through downtown, and then back around. Everybody went. It was an exciting time when the YMCA first opened. It was the place to be for me and my friends as a young kid.” Bridget participated in Y activities not only in her youth, but also as a parent, involving her children in activities over the years. The McGettigan’s chose to raise their 4 children here in Ottawa. Joe and Bridget both remember swimming, playing various sports and attending social events at the YMCA. Joe and Punch O’Brien called Ottawa home until they passed away. Joe Jr. maintains “our parents family life was in Ottawa, as was their social life.” The O’Brien Family has made it a mission to give back to the community that gave them the beginning of their many successes. “Our Mother and Father raised us in Ottawa, and we have been blessed as a family. Our gift to the YMCA is a testament to Ottawa as a community, said Joe O’Brien Jr. Mr. O’Brien commends the YMCA’s volunteer Board of Directors on their efforts to bring this new facility to reality. “Writing a check for a project like this is one thing, but dedicating the effort required to create and then drive the project is quite another. I applaud the volunteers and staff at the Y. Their contribution of time to the organization is extraordinary and far more important. “ “The story here is about the impact we can have when we come together around a shared vision and values,” said YMCA CEO, Joe Capece. The Ottawa YMCA has served our community for over 65 years.
We share a commitment to social responsibility with the O’Brien Family and believe our collective actions can make a difference in our community.”
Discussion on the new YMCA facility’s profile and design continue with Capital Campaign donors and collaborative partners and are expected to be finalized soon. For more information and to find out how you can help, contact Joseph Capece at the Ottawa YMCA.