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The Y Southland wants 150 stories to mark 150 years — and it's asking Southlanders to help find them.
The organisation, formerly the Invercargill YMCA, has launched a campaign called 150 Faces of The Y, calling on the community to nominate people who have shaped the not-for-profit since it was formally established in Southland in 1876. Celebrations are planned for October.
The idea is straightforward: instead of one big institutional retrospective, The Y tells the story through 150 individual ones. The gym where someone found their feet. The holiday programme that filled the afternoons. The camp that was a first taste of adventure. The mentor who believed in them. Multiply that across generations of Southlanders and you get a picture that no single article or anniversary speech could capture.
The Y Southland chief executive Steve Broad says the milestone came with weight attached.
"There is a real sense of responsibility in deciding how to mark 150 years of an organisation that has been making a difference in our community and in people's lives since 1876. It felt like a daunting task, but eventually, the answer became clear. People have always been at the heart of The Y, and 150 years later, that hasn't changed. So, we're celebrating them."
Broad is clear this isn't a hall of fame or a ranking of the organisation's greatest hits.
"150 Faces of The Y isn't a ranking or a list of the 'best'. It's a reflection of the many human faces that have shaped our journey, from those whose shoulders the organisation stands on today, to the rangatahi, members, families, volunteers, staff and community groups who are part of The Y right now."
Submissions are open to anyone with a connection to The Y — a memory, a person worth celebrating, or a story that hasn't been heard yet. Broad says that last part matters.
"Every day, our team has the privilege of engaging with people who call The Y home. A place where they feel welcomed, connected, and like they belong. We know there are countless stories we haven't heard yet, so we're asking our community to help us find them. Nominate someone, share a memory of your own, or tell us about a person who represents what The Y has meant to Southland over the past 150 years."
He's not rushing toward the future just yet.
"There will be plenty of time to share our vision for the future of The Y. But first, let's have some fun celebrating 150 years of impact, and some of the remarkable people who made it possible."
Stories submitted will be added to the collection in the lead-up to the 150th birthday celebrations in mid-October. The Y says no story is too small to be one of the 150.
Nominations close at midnight on Friday September 18. Southlanders can share their story or nominate someone at ysouthland.org.nz