Summary
- Supervisor Walter Alcorn presented a proclamation to the Reston YMCA on Sept. 29, 2026, recognizing their 25th anniversary.
- The Reston YMCA's many contributions to the community, include summer camps, after-school enrichment, school-readiness programs, fitness and wellness class for people of all ages, and senior engagement. It has also provided more than two million dollars in financial assistance to ensure programs and memberships remain accessible regardless of an individual or family's ability to pay.
- The group's Jubilee Anniversary celebration will take place on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn presented a proclamation today to the Fairfax County Reston YMCA celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Besides lauding the organization’s broader impact for the community, Alcorn also noted its very personal significance since he joined this YMCA with a family plan before it even opened.
“I can’t say this in any other situation but because of this facility, you’ve extended my lifespan,” Alcorn said. “Absolutely no doubt. I’m living healthier now and I will live longer because of this facility.”
YMCA Vice President of Operations Erik Van de Pol accepted the proclamation, along with Y staffers Ben Runyoun, Bianca Moskaitis and former Supervisor Bob Dix and Karen Cleveland.
“While this proclamation highlights many accomplishments, our greatest success is not measured in programs, memberships, or facilities,” Van de Pol said. “It is measured by people. It is measured in the child who gains confidence, the teenager who discovers their potential, the family who finds support during a challenging time. And the senior who finds friendship and belonging.”
The YMCA will hold its free, family friendly Jubilee Anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 3 to 6 p.m. at 12196 Sunset Hills Road, Reston.
Reston YMCA’s Founding: An Innovative Partnership
The Reston YMCA took birth from a public-private partnership between Fairfax County and the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington.
Former Hunter Mill District Supervisor Bob Dix played an instrumental role in securing the facility for Reston as was recognized in the proclamation today.
“This doesn’t really go all the way to explaining how challenging this was to make happen,” Supervsior Alcorn said. “Bob, I want to thank you.”
In the early 1990s, the YMCA sought to add a new facility in Western Fairfax County, including the areas of Chantilly, Herndon, and Reston.
The organization’s then CEO Herman Gohn reached out to Jim Cleveland, the CEO of Reston Land Corporation, for assistance. Cleveland contacted Supervisor Dix to discuss a potential Reston location, including a piece of land that Reston Land had previously proffered to Fairfax County. It was zoned for recreational use, but there were no specific plans for this property.
Dix worked with Cleveland, Reston community leaders, and the YMCA’s leadership to build a new facility on this county-owned property. He was also instrumental in reaching an agreement with the YMCA to build a permanent, 10,000 square-foot teen center as part of the facility. Called the Reston Teen Center, it continues to operate to this day, offering after-school programs, technology training, fitness activities, leadership classes and more.
"Twenty-five years ago, Jim Cleveland, Bob Dix, John Palatiello, and the YMCA shared a vision," Van de Poll said. "They believed that local government, community leaders, and a mission-driven nonprofit can come together round a common purpose."
After a private fundraising campaign, the Reston YMCA finally opened its doors in 2000.
Proclamation Text
WHEREAS, for 25 years, the YMCA Fairfax County Reston has strengthened our community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, providing summer camps, after-school enrichment, youth sports, wellness programs and opportunities for residents of all ages; and
WHEREAS, the Reston YMCA was made possible through an innovative public private partnership among Fairfax County, the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington and community and business leaders who worked together in the 1990s to establish a new YMCA in Reston; and
WHEREAS, through the leadership of then-Hunter Mill District Supervisor Bob Dix, who worked with Reston Land Corporation CEO Jim Cleveland and YMCA leaders, a plan was developed to build the facility on county-owned property in Reston, including a permanent Teen Center as requested by Supervisor Dix; and
WHEREAS, following a successful private fundraising campaign, construction began in 1999 and the Reston YMCA opened its doors in 2000, becoming an important part of the Reston community; and
WHEREAS, through community partnerships, generous donors and dedicated volunteers, the YMCA has provided more than $2 million in financial assistance, helping ensure programs and memberships remain accessible to individuals and families regardless of their ability to pay;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of all residents of Fairfax County, does hereby congratulate the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, the Reston YMCA Board of Directors, staff and volunteers on 25 years of service to Reston and Fairfax County and recognize the enduring success of this collaborative public-private partnership