Lou Bettencourt plays basketball, a lot. And San Benito County
is a better place because of it. The longtime executive director of
the San Benito County YMCA will be sorely missed when he
retires.
Lou Bettencourt plays basketball, a lot. And San Benito County is a better place because of it. The longtime executive director of the San Benito County YMCA will be sorely missed when he retires.
Bettencourt helped get the local YMCA started in 1999 and the organization has flourished under his leadership during the last seven years.
When the YMCA was started here, it was a two-person operation.
Now it has 25 employees and reaches thousands of children and families each year through dozens of programs, from hip-hop dance classes to a career guides class that helps troubled teens prepare for future jobs.
And the future is even brighter, with plans for a full-scale YMCA facility in San Benito County already in the works.
Bettencourt won’t take any credit for the success of the YMCA, but he deserves it.
He has been a driving force for positive change in the community.
We will be sad to see him go, but his legacy will continue long past his retirement date.
Bettencourt has established a strong foundation for the local YMCA and made lasting impacts on the lives of many residents.
Things like that go a long way.
We hope Bettencourt’s replacement, whoever that may be, can continue with Bettencourt’s goal.
We hope whoever leads the YMCA takes a lesson from Bettencourt, brings the community together and makes the most out of what our county has to offer.
Bettencourt always credited YMCA board of directors, staff and volunteers for the success of the organization.
We are certain they will continue to make the YMCA better and better over the coming years.
And it would be nice if the new YMCA director would follow in Bettencourt’s footsteps and lace up his or her shoes to play basketball with local kids in the community and at the San Benito County Juvenile Hall. We realize that is asking a lot, but we think it’s important.
Bettencourt will leave big shoes to fill, but we are confident that this important organization will continue to take large strides forward.
Furthermore, we are confident in this community and we are confident that someone will step up and agree to lead the YMCA in San Benito County.
Bettencourt has taken the local YMCA a long way in the last seven years, but there is still a long way to go.
Building a complete YMCA facility will go a long way, but without the proper leadership and guidance, even this will fall short of its potential.
