Press release from the YMCA of WNC:
Asheville, N.C., June 23, 2017 – Wicked Weed cofounder Rick Guthy says the Y may have saved his life, and he’s determined to help local kids get the same chance to succeed.
“Growing up in a single parent household in a very poor neighborhood in Queens, N.Y., the YMCA became a safe haven for me and my brother, perhaps a lifesaver,” Guthy said.
That experience is the motivation behind a $50,000 donation Wicked Weed has made to the YMCA of Western North Carolina.
“I cannot begin to thank the YMCA enough for its enormous impact on my life, and for all that the YMCA of Western North Carolina is doing to help make our community a better, healthier, and safer place to live,” Guthy said.
Wicked Weed’s donation will support YMCA Camp Watia, which opened last summer to provide a summer camp experience for all kids, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Between this summer and last, YMCA Camp Watia will serve nearly 1,200 campers.
“Camp is a moment in time that shapes a child’s character for a lifetime, a place where they interact face-to-face and build relationships with other kids who come from different walks of life,” said Paul Vest, president and CEO of the YMCA of WNC. “Rick and Denise Guthy have been longtime friends of the Y, and we are grateful for their continued investment and belief in our work. Their generosity will go a long way in advancing our goal to provide an accessible and affordable overnight summer camp experience to all kids in our region.”
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