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22 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 17, 2006 Come in for a piece of birthday cake at the Y On Wednesday the YMCA of Oakville invites you to join us as we celebrate our 50th year with a birthday tradition -- the humble, but delicious, birthday cake. It's our way of saying thank you to our many friends in the Oakville community. Bruce Ireland, YMCA of Oakville CEO, will cut the first cake at 10:30 a.m., and we will provide cake for our guests throughout the day until 8:30 p.m., so please be sure to drop in to the Peter Gilgan Family Y at 410 Rebecca St. Wednesday. The following 50th anniversary message was written by Kristian Knibutat, chair of the YMCA of Oakville board of directors: As the new chair of the YMCA of Oakville, I can only reflect with wonder at the determination, foresight and hard work of the volunteers and staff of the past 50 years who have led us to where we are today. I have experienced first-hand the benefits that the Y as a charity can bring to a community ­ from my early childhood as a day camper, through learning about leadership as a camp counsellor, as a member of several Ys, and as a member and now chair of the board of directors. Over 50 years, the YMCA of Oakville has grown, adapted and changed with the community of Oakville, while remaining focused on our charitable mission to provide life-long opportunities for health enhancement and personal growth for all. We have opened and now expanded our state-of-the-art Rebecca Street membership facility, and have grown to be the largest child care provider in Oakville, but we have not forgotten why we are here. In 2005, the Oakville Y provided Give Kids the Chance fee assistance to over 1,000 children and families, offered drop-in nights and coffee houses to youth, provided free programs to young mothers and children, and did all of this underneath an umbrella of core values like honesty, caring and respect. In 2006, we have gone one step further for Oakville and provided a home for the Halton Healthcare Services Cardiac Rehabilitation program. Looking forward to the next 50 years, I encourage all of you to support the YMCA of Oakville as we continue to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities. Kristian Knibutat, Chair, Board of Directors YMCA of Oakville -- Submitted by the Oakville YMCA