Why We Give: Doreen Quintiliani and Kathy Daly
Nov 18, 2021
Doreen Quintiliani grew up down the street from the Y, and recently made a multi-year gift in memory of her parents, Evelyn and Daniel Quintiliani. Doreen shared with us her Y story and what inspired her and her wife, Kathy, to give.
I grew up in Newton Corner and the West Suburban YMCA has been an integral part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started swim lessons very young, then got my lifeguard certification and worked at Crystal Lake and Gath Pool because of that. When I was older, I got my first job at the Y working in the youth division. Later, I was selected to go to a youth leadership retreat at Springfield College, and then worked at Camp Chickami.
All of these experiences helped make me who I am today. Working at the Y and Chickami helped me develop the confidence and skills that carried me through my professional career. What was most impactful working at Chickami was interacting with and learning from peers who were just a few years older than I was. They were great influences and mentors.
We were an average blue collar family, but my parents were able to get to the Y and take advantage of all it could offer. I know how hugely important the camp experience is to children. To be there for even just a week and be exposed to new things with other children of all different backgrounds, outside and in the woods, doing crazy things... That’s especially important today, and not all families get to do that.
My parents both passed away within the past few years, and Kathy and I found ourselves in the position to make charitable gifts to causes that have been important to us. It was natural to think of the Y. Not only was the Y a critical part of my own development, but Kathy is an educator dedicated to making a positive impact in young children’s lives. We’ve decided to sponsor a family’s membership to the Y for a year, as well as their children’s participation in a week of camp each summer. Plus, we’ve made a pledge to the Chickami Capital Campaign. I can’t image a better way to honor my parents’ memory than to give back to the place that was such a hub of our family’s life and that helped shape my own trajectory in such a meaningful way.