Cargill donates $350,000 to new YMCA at WSU

Cargill Protein, headquartered in Wichita, has donated $350,000 to help bring a new YMCA to the Wichita State University Innovation Campus.

“We’re fortunate in Wichita to have the quality of Ys that we have,” said Brian Sikes, president of Cargill Protein. “To have something that’s affordable in our communities, that creates safe environments for kids to go work out, employees, families, it just really fits who we are.”

Cargill and the Greater Wichita YMCA have had a longstanding relationship, Sikes said. A high percentage of Cargill employees are members of the Y, he said.

The Greater Wichita YMCA and the university announced their partnership in March. The new Y will provide health, wellness and education services on campus.

Sikes said WSU is a target area for developing future talent, which is one reason Cargill wanted to participate in the development of the new facility.

“The more we engage there strategically fits what we want to do in Wichita,” Sikes said.

The proposal drew attention after hundreds of students signed a petition opposing a student fee to pay for the YMCA. WSU’s student government voted narrowly in May to support the fee, reversing course from the previous government. The Kansas Board of Regents approved a WSU proposal to charge students a new $95 health and wellness fee in June.

The facility is expected to serve more than 22,000 students, faculty, staff, Innovation Campus workers and neighbors in the Fairmount community.

“We really believe in bringing the whole community together and not separating them out is how we strengthen the community,” said YMCA President Ronn McMahon.

The university is forming a committee made up of YMCA officials, WSU students and staff to provide recommendations on the new facility. They have begun looking at how other facilities are built and expect to start designing in a few months, with a goal of opening the new YMCA in January 2020.

McMahon said that in addition to the financial boost, the gift from Cargill also provided a “vote of confidence” as they plan the new facility.

“They’re very interested in health and that’s our interest too,” McMahon said. “It’s a commitment to the students of Wichita state and the Fairmount district around Wichita State.”

This story was originally published October 26, 2017 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Cargill donates $350,000 to new YMCA at WSU."