Before we celebrate the Bath Area Family YMCA for their Nonprofit of the Year Award and their continued success of creating solutions that help build community, I have an important community update to share. There was a piece of really big news that came across my desk a week or so ago that is really important to celebrate, too.

It’s no secret that the AFFF foam spill on Brunswick Landing was a difficult time for our region as we received statewide attention for an incident that scared many citizens and businesses, the ramifications of which are still being evaluated every week. However, new Midcoast Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Dan Stevenson sent all Brunswick Landing businesses a wonderful update the Friday before last, which was a welcome and landmark moment for those of us who have offices on Brunswick Landing (our chamber office is inside Hangar 6).

The March 28 release’s opening lines were: “The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) is pleased to announce the successful completion of key fire suppression system upgrades in Hangar 6, allowing for the permanent discontinuation of the PFAS-containing Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) fire suppression system. These upgrades have enabled the deactivation of the PFOS-containing Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) system today, enhancing environmental and operational safety.”

The release went on to outline that a 300-pound, ABC, wheeled, dry-chemical extinguisher had been added to each hangar bay, and most importantly, “the AFFF grate nozzle system has been converted into a water-only grate nozzle system by isolating the AFFF concentrate valves. This ensures that only water is discharged from the grate nozzles upon activation.” Meaning, should the fire suppression system need to be activated for any reason, that it will be shooting only water, and the dry chemical will be used in place of the foam.

This doesn’t completely rid all MRRA properties of the foam as it remains on-site; however, these moves ensure that it won’t be used in Hangar 6, which is a huge step in the process of making the landing safe from the foam. As Stevenson said in the March 28 release: “We are proud to take this significant step in eliminating PFAS-based fire suppression systems from our facilities … [t]hese upgrades not only enhance our fire protection measures but also demonstrate our continued commitment to environmental responsibility and safety.”

Making sure the citizens and businesses on Brunswick Landing — and those looking to move to or relocate their business to Brunswick Landing — know that all is being done to make this center for commerce and innovation thrive is vital.

Now onto our latest profile on our Bath-Brunswick-Topsham Chamber of Commerce award winners from our event on March 14. This is our sixth profile in the series of our eight award winners, and it recognizes one of the dozens of incredible nonprofits in our region.

2025 Nonprofit of the Year: Bath Area Family YMCA

There is a famous quote attributed to Mr. Fred Rogers that goes something like, “Look for helpers, you will always find people who are helping.” The quote apparently was advice his mother gave him when he was facing difficult times in his young life. Well, for many local families, there can be difficult times right now. Dollars aren’t stretching as far as they used to, isolationism is running rampant and now more than ever we are in need of third spaces to invest our efforts in. This is where helpers — like the Bath Area Family YMCA, our Nonprofit of the Year — become essential.

Between its primary location in Bath and its second location on Brunswick Landing, the YMCA has built spaces for family to gather, grow and inspire one another. It has been a bedrock community network for as long as anyone can remember; in fact, on May 30, the organization will be celebrating its 169th birthday. With over 3,500 households being a part of the Bath Area Family YMCA, accounting for over 7,000 individuals served annually, it continues to be one of the largest networks for families in our region. It has had a huge impact on our region as a place for families to grow, better themselves, stay healthy and engage, and it continues to evolve to meet the needs of those families.

One of the greatest needs in our region is accessible child care. For years, the YMCA has filled this need on-site, but in the past couple of years, it saw a bigger need that needed to be addressed for one of our largest employers. General Dynamics/Bath Iron Works wanted to help their employees with their child care needs, but they build ships, not early education centers. BIW reached out to the Bath Area Family YMCA, and together, they collaborated on building a brand-new child care facility on Farley Road in Brunswick, which will become a child care center for Bath Iron Works children.

Every business is trying to solve child care right now, and together, these two great organizations found a way to partner on a solution to make it possible. Not only does it help BIW employees, but it also helps the entire region by opening up new slots in day care when those BIW children move to the new center next fall. In all, once the center is up and running, Bath Area Family YMCA will account for around 240 child care slots between its current facilities and the new Farley Road center. Additionally, by starting this new center, it will employ an additional 40-50 child care providers within the next year.

This, of course, is just another example of how the YMCA continues to build community in our region. Just like the programs it creates and its constant upgrades to its facilities, the Y is always asking families what they need and doing all it can to provide solutions. Constantly evolving to meet the needs of those around you is an excellent way to show the community how much you value them.

Congratulations to our 2025 Nonprofit of the Year, Bath Area Family YMCA.

Cory King is executive director of the Bath-Brunswick-Topsham Regional Chamber of Commerce.