Founding director moves into retirement
From his earliest days as a volunteer, Bettencourt has felt a
special connection with the organization. It was never about the
politics or the money
– it was always about the kids and the difference an
organization could make in one person’s life, according to
Bettencourt.
Founding director moves into retirement
After nearly two decades with the YMCA Hollister resident and San Benito County Executive Director for the YMCA Lou Bettencourt will retire next month.
From his earliest days as a volunteer, Bettencourt has felt a special connection with the organization. It was never about the politics or the money – it was always about the kids and the difference an organization could make in one person’s life, according to Bettencourt.
“I was getting paid to play basketball and play with the kids and go to camp. All of that just really fits my personality,” Bettencourt said. “You can really reach the kids through play.”
Bettencourt started as a volunteer basketball coach back in the late 1980s. His son was in the YMCA after-school program in Aromas and the program needed a coach. From there, he got involved with the YMCA’s Central Coast Division board of directors. In 2000, when the YMCA opened its San Benito County division, the organization offered Bettencourt the position of executive director for the San Benito County chapter.
Through his beaming voice and confident smile it is clear Bettencourt is proud of the work he and his staff have accomplished.
“I love the Y. It’s allowed me to bring this experience to the county,” Bettencourt said. “I’ve been a resident of this county for the past 20 years, but through this organization I learned a lot of new parts of the community. Combining the community with the Y has been the best experience I could ask for and this has been the best job I could have asked for.”
And Bettencourt’s work with the YMCA has not gone unnoticed. San Benito County Superintendent of Schools Tim Foley first got to know Bettencourt when Foley was on the startup campaign for the YMCA in Hollister. At that time Bettencourt was the president of the YMCA’s Central Coast board of directors. And the two boards worked closely together.
“[Bettencourt] really helped with getting us started and after that, he was selected as the founding director. His work as executive director has helped set the tone for the YMCA,” Foley said. “His congeniality and willingness to extend the YMCA into all the areas of the community is unsurpassed. He has just done a marvelous job.”
One of the examples that Foley cited as a strong bond between the school district and the YMCA was the deal that Bettencourt brokered with the Hollister School District for the land that will eventually house the YMCA’s new permanent facility. Bettencourt worked hard to make sure that the facility would be located on land adjacent to one of the schools, Foley said.
Today, a site adjacent to Ladd Lane Elementary School is earmarked for a Y center, thanks in part to Bettencourt.
When Bettencourt took the job as executive director one of the most attractive parts of the job was that he was able to continue working with the same staff members he’d already become familiar with through volunteer service or people he had known in Hollister and San Benito County since the start.
“With a staff like this, even the bad days are good,” Bettencourt said.
And success was something that this chapter of the YMCA has seen. The projects Bettencourt and his staff brought to the community were always well received. A large part of that success, according to Bettencourt, is due to the YMCA organization as a whole.
“A lot of my success is tied to the success of the YMCA,” Bettencourt said.
During the time that Bettencourt has been with the YMCA the program has become a force in the community.
Not only has the YMCA partnered with programs such as Workforce Development, the probation department and San Benito County schools to give kids the opportunity to get involved with mentoring, but it has also had an affect on the kids and families in the community. During the earliest days of the after-school program Bettencourt had 15 kids involved – today there are more than 300.
“It’s really always been about the people to me,” Bettencourt said. “The people in San Benito County are amazing. I’ve had some amazing opportunities to work with some wonderful people.”
One of the best things about his job has been the ability to help.
“Working with folks and being able to provide financial assistance,” Bettencourt said. “…Hearing people’s stories of need and actually being able to provide assistance to them during their times of need was easily one of the best experiences.”
Recently the YMCA started a fund-raising campaign with the intention of raising money for a new permanent structure for the organization. Due to Bettencourt’s departure the fund-raising campaign has been pushed back one year, but the board of directors has really stepped up and will help to make the transition between Bettencourt and his predecessor seamless.
However, Bettencourt is so confident in the abilities of the YMCA staff that he said they could easily run the facilities on their own were it ever necessary.
So far there is no replacement set up to fill the rather large shoes Bettencourt is leaving behind, but the organization has received at least 25 applications and will hold interviews later this month. The position pays somewhere in the range of $60,000-$75,000.
Bettencourt’s last day at the YMCA isn’t until April 20, but even then he will not be retiring completely. The 56-year-old has plans to move with his wife to Las Cruces, N.M., where a friend has lined up a retirement job for Bettencourt in which he’ll work three to four hours per day doing maintenance.
“Taking this job was the easiest decision I ever made,” Bettencourt said. “Leaving it was the toughest decision I’ve ever made, but the timing was right both personally and professionally.”
Patrick O’Donnell can be reached at [email protected].
