Tri-County YMCA staff earn state honors for leadership and service
Sierra King and Mike Steffe were honored statewide, putting the Tri-County YMCA’s work in Dubois, Perry and Spencer counties in the spotlight.
The Tri-County YMCA’s front-line work in Dubois County and beyond drew statewide attention as Sierra King won the Rising Star Award and Mike Steffe received the Indiana State Alliance of YMCAs’ CEO Award, a rare honor that has gone to only seven CEOs out of 41 across Indiana. Christine Kleaving was also recognized, underscoring how the organization’s daily leadership and service are being noticed well outside Ferdinand.
Wade Hampton and Melissa Everhart presented the honors on behalf of the Indiana Alliance of YMCAs, turning the recognition into a public nod to the people running programs, serving families and keeping access open across a three-county region. For a branch chartered in 2003 and built around Dubois, Spencer and Perry counties, the awards land as more than a ceremonial salute. They point to the people behind the classes, youth activities, wellness services and membership support that local residents use every day.
Steffe’s selection carried particular weight because the CEO Award is not handed out on a regular schedule. Being named the seventh CEO ever chosen for it places the Tri-County YMCA’s leadership in a very small group statewide and suggests the alliance saw more than routine administration. It reflects a judgment that the organization’s growth strategy, leadership and community-building efforts have stood out among Indiana’s YMCA network.
That matters in a county where the YMCA is often one of the few institutions connecting youth development, healthy living and social responsibility under one roof. The Tri-County YMCA serves residents across Dubois, Spencer and Perry counties from its 36,000-square-foot facility in Ferdinand, and a 2023 report said it had more than 3,600 members. A 2021 annual meeting report put membership units at 1,260, up 8% from the previous June, a sign of steady demand as families looked for programs and space.
The state recognition also arrives as the organization continues to expand its footprint. The Tri-County YMCA announced an 11,000-square-foot expansion in Ferdinand in 2019, later adding a therapy pool project that would include a sauna, cold therapy and stretching area. In Jasper, plans continue to develop for a 90,000-square-foot Regional Wellness Center described as a city-owned, YMCA-managed facility, with membership access intended to stretch across locations. For Dubois County members, the honors for King, Steffe and Kleaving reinforce that the people guiding the YMCA are shaping not just a building, but the region’s access to health, recreation and community support.
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