It was a cool August Thursday morning for the Mayor’s Breakfast, held on the grounds of the historic Ambassador House, benefiting the Youth Mentoring Initiative (YMI), an organization matching local volunteers with HSE school district students in need of mentors.
(Above left) YMI Executive Director Alison Gatz speaks before the breakfast crowd. (Above right) YMI Board President and Fishers Fire Chief Steve Orusa makes the pitch for donations. (Photos provided by Larry Lannan)
The crowd was large and enthusiasm for YMI was high for the annual fundraising effort. Everyone persevered through a coffee shortage, even though twice as much coffee was ordered this year compared to the 2018 event.
Indiana State Health Commissioner Kristina Box was on hand, speaking of the challenges many young people face throughout our state. She also presented Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness with a certificate from a national organization, recognizing his work promoting mentoring programs.
Current Hamilton Southeastern School Board President Michelle Fullhart (left) in a conversation with Fishers City Council at-large member Cecilia Coble. (Photo provided by Larry Lannan)
Fadness told the breakfast crowd about the YMI graduation ceremony he recently attended.
“It was extraordinary to see how proud the mentors were of these kids,” said the mayor. “It was a nice, quaint celebration. But for some of those kids, and I’m reading between the lines here, it was probably the most anyone’s ever celebrated in their lives about a particular accomplishment. It wasn’t necessarily coming from their mom or dad, it was coming from someone in their community that just invested in them.”
Fadness praised the work of the local schools in the mental health area, and how that has been a part of the city’s efforts to improve mental health, using programs aimed at preventing problems. He described YMI as a key preventative program.
(From left) Former Fishers Police Chief Mitch Thompson, current Police Chief Ed Gebhart and Deputy Mayor Leah McGrath. (Photo provided by Larry Lannan)
YMI Board President (and Fishers Fire Chief) Steve Orusa made the pitch for donations to YMI. You can donate now using this link.
YMI is always in need of adult mentors. Executive Director Alison Gatz says there is a particular need for male mentors, with several male students waiting in line for a mentor. If you would like to volunteer as a mentor, click here.