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McKenzie heads to Pan Am Games from YMCA by Dominik Kurek Oakville Beaver Staff 11 | Wednesday, March 20, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com In his near four-year tenure as president and CEO of the YMCA of Oakville, Darryl McKenzie has worked to strengthen the non-profit organization and the health of the community around it. Now, he's moving on to help ensure the smooth operation of something else -- the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. McKenzie has taken the job of vice president with the Toronto Pan Am Games and will head the Games' Volunteer Services. The local YMCA's board announced the change yesterday. McKenzie's official last day at the Y is April 30. "It's a really exciting opportunity to be part of one of the most significant sporting events ever to happen in Toronto or in Canada. I'm really excited about the volunteer portfolio," McKenzie said. "When something like the Pan Am/ Parapan Am Games comes to the area where you grew up, I think it's a oncein-a-lifetime experience." "The YMCA is certainly an organization that is committed to the development of its staff and volunteers. They've just been an incredible organization to work for," he said. McKenzie has been working with the YMCA for about 10 years, but, his time with the organization started well before that. "I actually started my Y experience at age eight when I started going to a YMCA overnight camp," he said. He later became a seasonal staff member at a Y camp, and then a camp director. Over a decade, he moved through a variety of roles within the organization, lastly as CEO in Oakville. Prior to this position, McKenzie was general manager, in charge of support services with YMCA Ontario. He became the interim CEO of the Oakville Y in September 2009 and was appointed permanently that December. "We are happy for Darryl and wish him well in his new role, although we accepted his resignation with great regret," said board chair Lindsay Williams, in a news release. "He is an exceptional leader who has strengthened the management and operations of the YMCA of Oakville. He leaves as his legacy a healthy and vibrant organization poised for growth." Over the last years, the Oakville Y has worked to expand its reach in the Darryl McKenzie community, partnering with a number of organizations to do so. Currently, the Y provides programs and services in 50 locations across town. McKenzie said the growth has been successful and he applauds the YMCA team for the organization's accomplishments. "Certainly a lot of people are responsible for that success," he said. "We have a strong senior leadership team here. We have a strong volunteer board of directors. Our frontline staff and volunteers are amazing. So, I think we have been able to accomplish so much in such a short time because we all have a shared vision for how we can help build a stronger community here." One of the things he'll most miss working at the Oakville Y is getting to know the community, McKenzie said. With the Pan Am Games, he'll work with a much larger community. The Games will require 17,000 volunteers. It's a large number, but McKenzie is not daunted by it. He said there is a lot of interest from people who want to be involved with the Games and he expects a strong turnout once the volunteer recruitment program begins in 2014. What will be challenging, he said, is the complexity of the event. "There are multiple venues spread throughout Toronto and the Greater Horseshoe region, different sporting events, and scheduling and logistics will have some complexity to it," he said. When the Games end in August 2015, McKenzie's work will not be finished. The organizing committee is working to ensure the Pan Am Games leave a lasting legacy. Heading the volunteers for the Games, McKenzie will continue his work to transition his portfolio to other volunteer organizations, in the hopes of continuing the volunteer movement in the region. CONCRETE EXPOSED AGGREGATE (Pebble) · DRIVEWAYS · STEPS · FRENCH CURBS · WALKWAYS · PATIOS · GARAGE FLOORS uality At Its Best! Call Fernando 905-844-5518 1-888-944-5518 www.concretetrimmings.com FREE ESTIMATES The Rocca Sisters Team T with proudly present A Spe'egg'tacular Easter Event Admission is FREE compliments of the Rocca Sisters WHEN: Sunday, March 24, 2013 TIME: 11am - 4pm WHERE: Ireland House at Oakridge Farm 2168 Guelph Line, Burlington RSVP not required Join us for a day full of FREE family fun for the whole family! Meet the Easter Bunny and enjoy an Easter Egg hunt, games, live entertainment, museum tours, historic egg dyeing demonstrations, a clue hunt & more! Sisters, Best Friends... Partners Cathy & Tanya Rocca Donations are appreciated in support of the Museums of Burlington Direct: info@roccasisters.ca 905-335-4102 Office: www.roccasisters.ca 905-335-3042