The YMCA's Impact on Our Community with Trina Clarke

E14:  Today’s guest on The Great Amherst Podcast is Trina Clarke, CEO of the Cumberland YMCA.  Trina started working part-time at the YMCA 23 years ago in the childcare program, and over her 23-year career has stepped up into managerial roles until she assumed the CEO role in 2008. 2008 was a time of financial crisis for the YMCA and it was close to closing. The community rallied to keep the YMCA open and Trina stepped into the CEO role and has been instrumental in bringing the Y to a much more secure financial position.

I wanted Trina to come on the Podcast today to talk about the role the Cumberland YMCA plays in our community. The YMCA obviously provides swimming lessons and exercise facilities which are essential to the health and well-being of our community. Trina also tells us about the other programs the YMCA offers in Amherst like the Community outreach programs, the lunch programs, teen programs and childcare programs in Amherst and Oxford.  We talk a lot about the community that develops in and around the YMCA and what Trina and her staff are doing to keep that community alive during self-isolation.

Links from Today’s Episode:

Cumberland YMCA Webpage 

Donate to support the YMCA – (Remember if you can donate your monthly membership now you will get a tax receipt).

Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Cumberland County - This is the website for people who need help in our community or for people who are able to help.

Today’s Episode as brought to you by:

Deanne Fitzpatrick Studio – Their shop is closed right now, but you can still order online at hookingrugs.com. You can order all your rug hooking supplies to complete your projects. Or this is the perfect time to order a beginning rug hooking kit for someone you know and care about. You can place all your orders online at hookingrugs.com.

Carter’s Sports Cresting is still available for your printing needs and can prepare all the safety notices and signs you need to ensure a safe worksite and store during the COVID-19 crisis.  Contact Mark and his team at 667-2525, online at  or on Facebook

The Gratitude Project:

This is something that I started because in my conversation with Mayor Kogon we talked about how the Public Works employees don’t get the thanks and recognition they deserve.  And I thought there are lots of people in our community who deserve thanks and a lot for us to be grateful for. I’m collecting these stories and sharing them as an episode on the Podcast.  Go to tgapod.com/thanks to share your thanks and your gratitude.   

 Trina Clarke’s Bio:

 Trina Clarke is the CEO of the YMCA of Cumberland. During her 23 year career at the YMCA Trina has worked in various roles encompassing people of all ages. One of her greatest learnings to date is that whether you are trying to convince a three year old to put on their jacket or a government official to support a community initiative the strategies employed are very similar and patience truly is a virtue.

She has been married 25 years to husband Kenny Clarke and is the mother of 3 children; (Hannah) 23, (Landen) 20, and (Jenna) 17.

Trina truly believes that the YMCA plays a pivotal role in creating a strong and vibrant community and works every day with her team to accomplish that goal.