Sandberg's Gift Rooted in Childhood 

When Arne Sandberg was deciding on whether to contribute to the Marco Y’s new Healthy Living Center, currently $2 million short of its fundraising goal of $8.5 million, his mind drifted back to his childhood in Milwaukee.

“It comes from growing up,” Sandberg said. "I grew up with a single mom, two sisters, and we were broke. It was the YMCA who helped us out. My mom paid $6 a month for all three of us to be able to go there. And it actually helped me get into athletics, soccer, healthier living, and it helped me grow up some. There were male role models there and people I could be involved with other than just my mom and my sisters."

Sandberg said his childhood Y still stands on 124th and North Avenue.

“A small town,” Sandberg said, "western Milwaukee, technically called Wauwatosa or Brookfield, one of the little towns. We would go after school. They'd have all the things we could get involved in, their extracurricular activities. And that was a way for us to be involved in athletics because my mom couldn't afford it otherwise."

Sandberg said his hometown Y’s leaders influenced him in a variety of ways. 

"From the standpoint of being involved in athletics, yes,” he said, "but also growing up as a young man. It was just the teamwork, being involved with people around there, the Christian principles that are the core values. And you could still go to people and talk about Christ. And that was one of the things I loved."

Arne and his wife, Jill, became deeply involved with the Y after CEO Cindy Love-Abounader asked Jill if she would be willing to help out.

"Cindy Love wanted her there,” Sandberg said. "We were having a conversation outside of St. Mark's with police chief Tracy Frazzano and Cindy. We all started talking and Cindy said, 'I have a position open. I would love to have you at our front door.' And that's how that started. And we just decided to become more involved with the Y and its events."

Sandberg believes in Love-Abounader as a leader.

"We love Cindy,” he said. "She's an amazing lady. She has one of the kindest hearts and a brilliant mind for putting things together and putting the right people in the right places to get things to work out for the benefit of the community, the benefit of the YMCA organization, and just in general for people that she's surrounded by and touches. She sees it and she runs with it and gets it done. She and husband George Abounader are great people. We love them."

Sandberg said his wife planted the seed about giving to the Healthy Living Center, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of summer. Soon thereafter, the Y’s director of development, John Riley, approached Sandberg.

"I remember Jill saying something about it,” he said. "And John Riley made a statement one day, and I said, ‘Well, we'd be willing to take a look at it.' And we sat down in his office with him, and Jill and I looked at each other and said, ‘We have to give.' Then it was just a determination of how much that we wanted to give."

The Sandbergs settled on acquiring the naming rights for the Healthy Living Center’s reflection room.

"It's a quiet room,” Sandberg said. “I think from the standpoint of me personally, it's a place to slow down, a place to reflect on life, a place to reflect on where you are in the community, what other things you can do, not only personally, but also professionally, and for the community as well. How can we put things together to help others? It will be a great place to stop and slow down after a day of chaos."

Sandberg had mixed emotions about his and Jill’s name being attached to the reflection room.

“It’s bittersweet,” he said. “Because I'm not one that wanted the name on it necessarily. But as I look into the future and future generations, and if our son and grandson end up down here, it's to show that you have to be involved in the community. And that part means a lot. What we can do to help others, I think that's the part that means the most to me. The Y gave me a leg up in life. I want to be able to help others have a leg up in life.”

Sandberge encourages other islanders to give.

“It's our community,” he said. "If you live here, you need to give here. And there's not a better organization here on the island that you can give to that helps the entire community, not just a specific sector."

To find out how you can help support the Y’s new Healthy Living Center, including a number of prime naming opportunities, contact John Riley at 239-394-9622 ext. 225. Or email John at development@ymcacollier.org.