A Toast to the Future of the YWCA Pool
Interim CEO Aisha Adams receives an $8,000 check from the First Horizon Foundation in support of the YWCA’s historic pool renovation.
On October 8, YWCA members, families, neighbors, board members, and supporters gathered for our Community Demolition Party. With the old pool walls down, there was plenty to celebrate, including a champagne toast, dancing, and a chance to catch up with friends.
We also showed Rise: The Story and Future of the YWCA of Asheville’s Historic Pool, featuring community voices and images of the pool through the years.
Megan Pugh, our Racial Justice Director, reflected on what the turnout meant for the YWCA’s swim equity work:
“Throughout American history, Black folks were kept out of swimming pools and did not have access to swimming lessons for many years, and we continue to see the impact of that today. Less than 40 percent of Black Americans know how to swim, according to a 2024 study. At the YWCA of Asheville and WNC, swim equity has always been a pillar of our racial justice work and a core connection to our community. So, to have so many folks in the building, excited and committed to being part of our pool renovation, shows just how strong a legacy the YW and our historic pool have here.”
Thank you to Interim CEO Aisha Adams and COO Christine Malloy for speaking that evening and recognizing the community’s support throughout the project.
We also celebrated a generous $8,000 donation from First Horizon Bank. Sara Means, a YWCA board member, presented the check on the bank’s behalf.
Aisha reflected on the evening:
“For decades, swim equity has been a pillar of the YWCA’s commitment to racial and social justice. At a time when so much of the world encourages division, we came together to celebrate something powerful: not just the demolition of a pool, but the rebuilding of opportunity, access, and community.
This is about more than a pool. It is about reimagining a space that is more inclusive, more environmentally sustainable, and more welcoming for generations to come.
We are especially grateful to Horizon Bank for its generous $8,000 investment in our community and its commitment to empowering women. Together, we are not simply rebuilding a pool. We are building a future where everyone belongs.”
Our thanks also go to Sarah Vance Goodman, Eve Roha, Kendall Wright Oliver, Rick and Carole Marcotte, David and Anita Hogan, Priscilla Hill, the Helen A. Powers Fund, Bernice Green, and Foundation for the Carolinas, along with sponsor AVL Technologies. We also thank our project partners, Demolition and Asbestos Removal Inc., Legerton Architecture, and Griffen, for their work on the pool renovation.
Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate or contributed to the renovation. We’re grateful to have you with us as the work continues.
Follow the construction progress on our pool renovation page, where you can also make a donation to support the project.
