The Catskill Chronicle

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY (March 5, 2011) — At a meeting of the Livingston Manor Chamber of Commerce on February 9, a PowerPoint presentation was given by guest speaker and town historian Harold VanAken. The subject of the presentation was John R, Mott, born in Livingston Manor in 1865, and the grandson of the town’s first supervisor, Israel Dodge.

Mott won the 1946 Nobel Peace Prize for his development of the International YMCA, and the 43 residents of the Town of Rockland who saw the presentation at Kings Catering House also were treated to a talk by Linda Cellini, the Sullivan County representative for the YMCA.

Cellini spoke about the importance of honoring Mott in his home town and county and is hopeful that a site for a Y might be found in Livingston Manor. The president of the Livingston Manor Chamber of Commerce, Mia Newman Koerner, stated she had hopes that those in attendance would help get the word out about Mott and the move to bring the Y to Livingston Manor. A feasibility study will need to be completed before any proposal can be initiated.

Among those in favor of such a proposal were town Supervisor Ed Weitmann and Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, who were in attendance. And Leon Siegel, former supervisor of Rockland, stated that he thought the idea of honoring Mott was an idea whose time had come. Other members of the community in attendance were Roscoe Chamber of Commerce Vice President, Rick Baxter, and Lions and Rotary Club members, all of whom were supportive of the plan to welcome the YMCA.

A letter received from the secretary general Rev. Johan Vilhelm Eltvik of the World Alliance of YMCAs based in Switzerland was read. “I wish you success with your plans to establish a John R. Mott building that will become a new YMCA association,” said Eltvik.

Anyone interested in pursuing the establishment of a YMCA is encouraged to e-mail ideas to: lcellini@middletownymca.org.

A location for a physical site is still needed.