Changing lives, including his own

Having worked at the Glendale YMCA for 35 years, Craig Yaussi is ready to pass his post as the director of buildings to somebody else.

“After 36 years by next year, it’s time to let someone else come in with fresh ideas,” he said.

He started at the YMCA as a camp counselor at Camp Fox, the youth summer camp program. Since then, Yaussi has held many different titles at the YMCA, including assistant physical director, director of financial development, special events coordinator and one of the YMCA’s ambassadors to Glendale’s Chamber of Commerce.

However, even though his YMCA career is ending, Yaussi does not plan on taking it easy. Instead, he hopes to dedicate more of his time to the Stepping Stone Players, a nonprofit outreach program designed to get youth involved in theater. With the help of adult volunteers and professional choreographers, musicians and voice coaches, youth participants learn how to design and act in their own production. Yaussi is currently on the Stepping Stone board of directors and plans to be the producer of next year’s “Hairspray” production.

Yaussi is also an active member of the Glendale Kiwanis Club, a service organization that funds community projects usually focused on helping needy youth. He has been on the board of directors and has also served as the vice president.

“It’s a great organization,” Yaussi said. “Anybody who wants to get involved in the community should get involved in a service club.”

What drew you to the YMCA?

Well, I did have a brother who worked here for a little bit, and he would come home on Sunday nights and regale us at the dinner table about all of the wonderful things he did at [Camp Fox], and how much fun camp was. So I came down and volunteered. One summer I came back from something I was doing, and I came [into the YMCA] and said, “Hey, I’d like to be a counselor.” I went, and my whole life was changed. I went over there — it’s a Christian camp — and these kids stop doing the things that were wrong in their lives, and turn their lives over to Christ. Camp can really change your life. I thought, “Gee, this is bigger than just me alone.”

Why do you like your job today at the YMCA?